Update as of 11/8/25

Kierra had another surgery at Cleveland Clinic on 10/30/25. This surgery she would have whether she has a transplant or not. If this surgery works then we can hold off on the transplant. She is currently inpatient at Cleveland Clinic recovering from surgery.

Hi all! We have decided to start a new GoFundMe for Kierra's intestinal transplant journey.

https://www.caringbridge.org/site/b47e5f56-40a9-375d-86aa-34165fb6b69f

Kierra is 24 years old, and the oldest of 3 children. By looking at her you wouldn’t know that she has anything health-wise going on. She honestly is trying to live her best life. She works and hangs out with family and friends when she is feeling up to it. She is lucky enough to have an amazing employer who understands what she is going through. She is incredibly close to her younger brother and sister.

Through all she has been through, she still has kept her humor, smile, stubbornness and love for her family and friends. I might be biased, but she has 1 of the best laughs around.

The one thing that sets Kierra apart is that she is unable to eat or drink at this point. She receives all her nutrients through a central line.

Kierra has been on TPN IV nutrition on and off since December 2022. She is currently in intestinal failure. She also has severe progressive digestive motility problems, gastroparesis, pots, colonic inertia, TPN dependence, and has had multiple surgeries and a total colectomy. She has also had 2 episodes of sepsis and about 4 line infections.

Kierra needs an intestinal transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

This would be classified as a multivisceral transplant. This is where they would be able to transplant multiple abdominal organs at one time from a deceased donor to a recipient.

As of now, we know she will be receiving a small intestine and possibly part of a large intestine. They are also testing her stomach and liver specifically to see if she would need either of those organs as well.

We were asked to start a GoFundMe for her transplant journey. The money would be to help with travel, lodging, food, and to help financially during this time, as Kierra, I will be in Cleveland for quite a while. She needs to be within 4 hours of the Cleveland Clinic while on the UNOS list waiting for her transplant. After the transplant, we will need to stay in Cleveland for 6-8 months.

The rest of the family will visit when they can and will come down the minute she gets the call.

We are hoping to stay at the transplant house or at the Ronald McDonald house during this time. 

If you aren’t able to help financially, we completely understand. Things are hard for a lot of people. Prayers are appreciated, and go a long way too. We just want Kierra to feel better quickly.

The Erickson Family