Tater Needs a Transplant
Donation protected
Tater needs a transplant
If you know my dad at all, you know that he is passionate about his family and helping others as a men’s ministry leader. He is a father of five, and is a loving husband to my amazing mother, Stacey. My dad is very involved in the daily care of his youngest two sons, Max and Jack, who were diagnosed with type one diabetes 8 years ago. Type one diabetes is unpredictable requiring constant care and daily vigilance. He spends time well into the night watching blood sugars to keep the boys safe. Over the past few years daily life has become very difficult for my dad. He became easily exhausted after simple tasks like taking out the garbage or climbing stairs. After a series of tests spanning several months, my dad was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) on May 1, 2019. IPF is a rare, terminal lung disease that is always fatal without a double lung transplant. The disease is irreversible, of unknown origin, and progressive. The lungs fill with scars until the patient can no longer breathe.
Out of 327 million people in the United States, only 132,000 have IPF. 40,000 people die of IPF every year. The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with IPF is 3-5 years, but my dad was diagnosed with a life expectancy of around 2 years. At his transplant consultation, it was determined that he has significantly declined since diagnosis. We don’t have much time.
The cost of transplant is excessive. In addition to out of pocket insurance costs and special anti-rejection medication and medical equipment that he will need, we will have to fund two separate households as Cleveland Clinic requires us to remain close during pre- and post-transplant care. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to help cover the costs that the Tate family will face in the next few months.
We hope that our friends and family can help us achieve this goal. If you are able to help it would mean so much to our family. With a successful double lung transplant my dad will be able to enjoy all of the wonderful things people look forward to in life, like growing old to see his kids graduate and get married.
If you know my dad at all, you know that he is passionate about his family and helping others as a men’s ministry leader. He is a father of five, and is a loving husband to my amazing mother, Stacey. My dad is very involved in the daily care of his youngest two sons, Max and Jack, who were diagnosed with type one diabetes 8 years ago. Type one diabetes is unpredictable requiring constant care and daily vigilance. He spends time well into the night watching blood sugars to keep the boys safe. Over the past few years daily life has become very difficult for my dad. He became easily exhausted after simple tasks like taking out the garbage or climbing stairs. After a series of tests spanning several months, my dad was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) on May 1, 2019. IPF is a rare, terminal lung disease that is always fatal without a double lung transplant. The disease is irreversible, of unknown origin, and progressive. The lungs fill with scars until the patient can no longer breathe.
Out of 327 million people in the United States, only 132,000 have IPF. 40,000 people die of IPF every year. The average life expectancy of someone diagnosed with IPF is 3-5 years, but my dad was diagnosed with a life expectancy of around 2 years. At his transplant consultation, it was determined that he has significantly declined since diagnosis. We don’t have much time.
The cost of transplant is excessive. In addition to out of pocket insurance costs and special anti-rejection medication and medical equipment that he will need, we will have to fund two separate households as Cleveland Clinic requires us to remain close during pre- and post-transplant care. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to help cover the costs that the Tate family will face in the next few months.
We hope that our friends and family can help us achieve this goal. If you are able to help it would mean so much to our family. With a successful double lung transplant my dad will be able to enjoy all of the wonderful things people look forward to in life, like growing old to see his kids graduate and get married.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jon Tate
Organizer
Waterville, OH
Stacey Tate
Beneficiary