At Christmas, we thought Karen just wasn’t feeling well. By the New Year, our family learned she would need a liver transplant to survive. My name is Angelo. Karen is my sister-in-law and has been part of my life since the mid-2000s. She’s been married to my twin brother, Joseph, since 2016, and she’s someone we all love deeply.

After evaluations in Charlotte Hungerford and nearly two weeks at UConn Medical Center, we learned that Karen is in liver failure. While waiting for a donor, she is on dialysis two to three times a week. Her kidneys are showing some improvement, but the transplant is necessary for her to get better. Right now, neither Karen nor Joe is able to work. Joe is home caring for her full-time as they focus on treatment and on making it through each day together.

If you’re able, we’re asking for help with medical and basic household expenses during this time. Truly, anything helps — and even sharing this page means a great deal to us. Karen has always been bright, kind, and full of joy. We miss her light so much, and we’re holding onto hope that we’ll see her back to herself again. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for being here with us. — Angelo