Hi, our names are Payton and Kailee, and we are creating this fundraiser on behalf of two people we love deeply.

Over the last several years, we have watched Kat navigate an incredibly difficult medical journey with courage, resilience and grace. She is now in need of a life-saving liver transplant. Her sister Alexandra (Alee), one of the most selfless people we know is a match and will be donating a portion of her liver to Kat next month. This incredible act will give Kat a second chance at health - and quite literally, a second chance at life.

While we are beyond grateful that Alee is a donor and living liver donation is possible, this selfless gift comes with significant financial challenges including time off work, travel, and recovery costs. We are raising funds to help ease that burden so they can focus on what truly matters: healing and recovering together as a family.

We are incredibly grateful for any support - whether through a donation or by sharing this page. Below is Kat's story, shared in her own words.

Thank you to everyone who has visited this page. My name is Kat, and I just turned 27 years old. I have had a difficult medical journey since March 2022. I was diagnosed with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) after a lengthy hospitalization. Do not let the name fool you; there is nothing common about this disease. This is a lifelong chronic illness that leaves me immunocompromised, vulnerable to recurrent infections, and severely fatigued. I am dependent on monthly IVIG infusions for management. Unfortunately, I have experienced severe end-organ-damage to my liver and spleen as a result of CVID. I have liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), as well as a laundry list of complications associated with both conditions. I have had to pause my university studies and step away from my job. After multiple hospitalizations in the last six months, it has been determined that I need a liver transplant. This procedure will take place through the Ajmera Transplant Centre at Toronto General Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.

Thankfully, my older sister, Alee, is a living donor match. We are scheduled for surgery March 11, 2026.

This surgery will require us to relocate from Winnipeg to Toronto with our parents for one month. Alee has a young family and will be off work approximately three months for post-operative recovery. My recovery will likely take longer. Travel, accommodations, and lost wages come at a steep financial cost. Although some expenses will be covered/reimbursed, we are responsible for funding the difference. It is not in our nature to ask for financial assistance, and we share our story from a raw and vulnerable place. We are immensely hopeful that this second, “gently used” (as Alee says) opportunity will provide me with a better quality of life. I look forward to resuming my studies and living my life.

I hope that sharing my story will help others suffering from chronic illness know they are not alone, and there can be hope despite challenging times. Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and donate if you are able. We will provide updates of our journey on this page.