Support Rita Mahaffey's Lung Transplant Journey

Hi! My name is Abby Baine, and I am making this Go Fund Me for my mom, Rita Mahaffey.

In June of this year, Rita was put on 24/7 oxygen due to her lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema and interstitial lung disease).

While on family vacation in June, her oxygen was continuously dropping, so she was admitted to a hospital in Florida. This was the start of many hospital visits & the beginning of her declining health.

Her lung disease has continued to worsen, along with several other health issues.

In the beginning of September, she was admitted to St Francis hospital again, due to her oxygen levels. They had to put her on a different type of oxygen machine, with maximum oxygen. After a week of no real answers or progress, she was transferred to MUSC in Charleston by ambulance.

The team at MUSC has continued working with her, and began doing the testing she needed to determine her eligibility for a double lung transplant. As of Friday, September 27th, she is now on the transplant list, anxiously and prayerfully awaiting the perfect donor.

On Monday, September 30, she had surgery to put her on an ECMO breathing machine, which also makes her top priority of the lung transplant list.

Her and my dad Ken, have had to stay at MUSC the entirety of this process. We are unsure how long it will be until she is able to have the transplant. It could be days, it could be months. After she has the transplant, they will have to stay at MUSC for at least 3 weeks. After she is released, she will have to stay in Charleston for an additional 3+ months.

First and foremost, we ask for your prayers. Pray for mama to stay strong, for her condition not to worsen, and for her spirits to stay high. If you know her, you know she never complains and always puts everyone before herself. Pray that she, my dad and our whole family, will feel God’s peace and presence. Pray for the doctors, nurses, and everyone else who will be providing her care. Pray that once she is able to have the transplant, her recovery will be quick and easy.

Secondly, if you are able to donate even a dollar, it would be so appreciated. Again, if you know my parents, they would never ask anyone for help. But they always go out of their way to help everyone else and make sure everyone is taken care of.

Of course the surgery itself is a huge expense. They are also faced with the various hospital stays/bills, the travel+expenses of living in Charleston after the surgery and the recovery process. All of this while Ken has had to be out of work (unpaid) to be Rita’s caretaker.

The money raised will go directly to Rita and Ken and their hospital and living expenses during/after the transplant surgery.

We know that God is in control, and have no doubt that he still has big plans for my mama and how he will use all of this for His glory!