Robert Fujimoto suffered a serious medical setback in 2017. The now-51-year-old began to struggle to catch his breath. Over following months, Robert's ability to breathe diminished to the point he was only using 20 percent of his lungs. Robert and his family soon learned he was suffering from a rare lung condition – nonspecific interstitial pneumonia. For months, Robert was reliant on two oxygen tanks, but he still always felt out of breath. He spent his days in bed, unable to play softball, take his son to the beach,  or even barbecue a simple dinner for his family.
In March 2019, Robert was flown to UCSF Medical Center, where he would wait a month to receive a double lung transplant. On April 18, Robert was wheeled into surgery, with multiple teams of doctors and nurses. For seven hours, he was cut open and his lungs replaced. The surgery was a success.
Today, Robert is still at UCSF as he recovers and undergoes rehabilitation as he learns to breathe with his new lungs. He is expected to be released from the hospital in coming weeks -- but he faces a long road to recovery. Expenses for Robert's recovery are beginning to add up. His family and friends are raising funds to offset these expenses.