Hi, my name is Nichole. I am 44 years old, and about a year ago I was diagnosed with restrictive lung disease caused by right diaphragm paralysis. Because of this condition, I was put on oxygen and originally started on 3 liters. Recently, my doctors had to increase it to 4 liters as my breathing has worsened. This change has made daily life much more difficult and has limited my ability to do even simple tasks.

I was referred to UPMC Pittsburgh for a lung transplant evaluation, and over the past year, I’ve traveled back and forth many times for appointments, lab work, and a wide range of tests. After months of evaluations, I was officially placed on the lung transplant waiting list during my last visit in November. I also will need to travel every 3 months to Pittsburgh for check-ups till I get the call that they have a lung

Before all of this, I worked full-time. As my condition progressed, I had to cut my hours down to one day a week, and by the end of October, I had to stop working completely because I simply couldn’t physically do it anymore.

When I receive “the call” for my transplant, I will have to relocate to Pittsburgh for approximately three months. During that time, I will continue to have all of my regular bills at home, and I will also need to cover the cost of lodging, food, gas, and other living expenses once I’m discharged from the hospital. After surgery, I am required to stay close to the hospital for follow-up care and monitoring for several months before I’m cleared to return home.

This fundraiser will help me manage these expenses so I can focus on healing and getting the second chance at life that this transplant offers. Any support — whether through donations or by sharing my story — means more than I can ever express. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.