My name is Ross Clinton. I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure three years ago. At that time, I was prescribed a Zoll Life Vest, which administered a life-saving shock during a Sudden Cardiac Death event two weeks later, and I had an ICD defibrillator implanted.

For the next 18 months, things went pretty much back to normal, and we did most of what we wanted to do. During the second half of last year, my condition worsened. After testing and workups, it was found I have a rare progressive heart condition making a heart transplant necessary.

As a result, I am now listed for a heart transplant at Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC. As my heart failure has progressed, all treatment options have been exhausted, and the expectation is I will be admitted in the near future to the hospital until a matching heart becomes available.

While I am fortunate to have medical insurance that covers many of my direct medical expenses, the reality of a heart transplant journey extends far beyond medical bills - including travel, lodging, copays, deductibles, and other medical-related expenses. These related expenses will be ongoing and will extend years beyond surgery.