Hello, my name is Anita Seagraves and I am raising funds to help my cousin’s husband, Craig Bjorkman, and family.

Due to other medical circumstances, Craig was removed from the lung transplant program...

Previous Situation: Craig needs a double lung transplant due to pulmonary fibrosis. While insurance will cover much of the medical expenses, he will need to stay near the transplant center in San Diego for at least 3 months after the procedure. Afterward, he will still need to travel back and forth to the transplant center for care (2 hour drive). He has also been the primary caregiver for his wife and needs to get healthy enough to take care of her again.

For more background, let me present Craig's message in his own words:

Hi, My name is Craig Bjorkman. I am 66 years old and live in Indio, CA. with my wife Debbie, of 41 years. Our son Adam and our grandson Aayden also live with us. Adam is Debbie's caregiver and now mine. Adam (39) is not only our caregiver but a cub scout leader with Pack 50 (Indio) and Aayden’s leader. Aayden has lived with us since he was 3 months old.

Aayden is a super smart first grader and can tell you almost anything about the solar system. He reads daily about anything from NASA and already wants to go to Cal Tech for college. Debbie handles his homework and any other schoolwork from her bed because she can’t walk or stand due to her own medical problems. But needless to say, we live for Aayden! I need to live for him.

I am asking for your help because I need a double lung transplant. About four years ago I was diagnosed with emphysema but with no symptoms. Covid came 2 years ago, and I still didn’t get really sick other than it took my taste and smell away! This past November I ended up in Eisenhower Hospital for 11 days. I couldn’t breathe. I found out I had pulmonary fibrosis and pneumonia and my blood sugars were in the 500’s. After my stay in the hospital, I was never the same; difficulty breathing and was put on oxygen at 8 liters and I had to stop working and was told I might have one year at the most to live. In late January, I had to do more pulmonary tests with the results showing only a few months to live! Dr. J referred me to the Univ of CA at San Diego lung transplant department.

On 2/12-13, my son and I had to go to the UCSD lung transplant department for appointments on each day where they wanted to admit me immediately to start a seven-day stay in the hospital for the transplant process. However, they had a list of things I first needed to do for that to happen. Before the 7-day stay, I need to have secured at least 20-30 thousand dollars to live in San Diego for at least 3 months because I will need to see the doctor four times a week. So that’s to cover where we stay; utilities, and extra expenses for three-plus months. My son will need to be there with me the whole time as my caregiver, which leaves Debbie and Aayden back home.

The transplant is planned for as soon as possible including staying in the hospital for the seven-day tests. So I need your help to LIVE because the $ and our plan for the next three months are vital to make this all happen. Thank you for considering this cause. Your support would be greatly appreciated.