My name is Kat Marinas and I am putting this GoFundMe to help my dear friend Amanda and her partner, Lee, as he just had a liver transplant. Here is his story. Thank you to Amanda for writing the following:

Our Story

My partner Lee and I have been through the most challenging weeks of our lives. Over the week of Christmas, Lee began feeling unwell—barely able to eat, complaining of stomach pain, and by Christmas Day, he was vomiting blood. He became weak, dizzy, and collapsed at home. I called 911 on 12/26/25 early morning, and he was rushed to Northwest Community Hospital, where he coded, fell into a coma, and was losing blood rapidly. The doctors worked tirelessly, intubating him and transferring him to UIC for more advanced care. At one point, I was told Lee would not survive, but another doctor gave us hope and explained there were still options to try.

Lee was found to be bleeding from a stomach ulcer, and his liver was barely functioning, making it impossible for his blood to clot. He underwent multiple surgeries, including a TIPS procedure to redirect blood flow, and required over 100 blood product transfusions. After a harrowing search, a compassionate staff member helped get Lee admitted to Rush Hospital, where he was given less than a 1% chance of survival. Despite the odds, Lee fought on and was eventually transferred to the University of Chicago, where he received a life-saving liver transplant and aortic bypass graft. He was discharged from the ICU on January 23, 2026, and is now at Shirley Ryan for intensive physical therapy, facing more battles on his long road to recovery. Lee is expected to be discharged from inpatient rehab yet will require intensive outpatient rehab for 3-5hours, 1-2 times per week along with weekly trips to UOC for clinic/labs/medication management, and will require supervision 24/7 especially within his first month discharged from inpatient care. His first year of receiving his new liver is very important to watch for rejection. He will be taking pills for the rest of his life because even years later, one skipped dose will cue rejection.

During this time, I have not worked until more recently due to the extreme critical conditions that faced us. We are self-employed, so if we don’t work, we don’t get paid. I have needed to be by Lee’s side as his constant calm, caregiver and medical/legal advocate, and the emotional toll has made it impossible to focus on work. We missed rent last month, and with February here, we are struggling to keep up with basic expenses. It will take time before our income stabilizes, especially with Lee unable to contribute. The financial strain is overwhelming, and we are asking for your help to keep us secure in our home and cover essentials like rent, utilities, gas, parking, and daily necessities while Lee recovers.

We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer. Your kindness will help us focus on Lee’s recovery and give us hope during this incredibly difficult time. Thank you for being part of our journey.