It’s never easy to ask for help — but right now, our family needs it more than ever.

Our mom, Mary, has been living with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) for 18 years — a rare liver disease that causes the bile ducts to slowly narrow and scar. Through it all, she’s stayed strong, positive, and resilient, always facing each new challenge with grace.

Earlier this year, things took an unexpected turn. During a routine colonoscopy, doctors found suspicious cells, and she had to have 33 centimeters of her colon removed in March. Around that same time, her routine ERCP (a liver procedure) showed more abnormal cells. A repeat ERCP in July confirmed the same results, and her doctors recommended she be evaluated for a liver transplant.

In October, Mary spent five days at the Mayo Clinic for an intensive pre-transplant evaluation — 23 appointments, 57 lab tests, and 12 additional studies. The following week, she had more procedures, an MRI, and an unexpected surgery to remove both ovaries due to a twisted ovary that was found incidentally.

Then came the news that changed everything: Mary has cholangiocarcinoma — bile duct cancer. The only treatment and path forward is radiation, chemotherapy, and eventually a liver transplant.

Her case went before the Transplant Selection Committee on October 23, and we were relieved and grateful to learn that she was approved to move forward with the transplant protocol. Treatment will begin soon, and she’ll need to spend a lot of time at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester starting November 2025. The first step will be to receive radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Once it’s confirmed the cancer has been treated appropriately, she will then be ready to be listed for a transplant.

This journey will be long and difficult — physically, emotionally, and financially. The costs of medical care, travel, lodging, time away from work, and other unexpected expenses are significant.

It’s hard for us to ask for help, but Mary has always been the one helping others. Now it’s our turn to support her. Every donation, share, and prayer helps lift some of the burden and gives her the strength to focus on healing and hope for a healthy future.

With love and gratitude,

The Eggert Family