The Speranza Family needs your help!

Friends and family, this is truly never where I thought this journey would lead us but it has. As some know, our lives changed drastically over the course of this past winter. My mom, once healthy, walking daily, found herself struggling to breathe. What was diagnosed as a stubborn sinus infection back in Jan 2024, was repeatedly ignored, dismissed and misdiagnosed by many health professionals until it all came to a head and my mom found herself in the hospital with a broken rib and a collapsed lung in March of 2024. Here we truly thought our journey in this battle was coming to a close, we had an answer! Little did we know the struggles my mom faced were about to become even harder. Once released home from a nearly 30,000 hospital stay and back home, oxygen therapy was prescribed to ensure she could rebuild her strength and get back to life before lung collapse. As weeks went by at home, it became apparent the situation was not improving for my mothers breathing. After countless CT scans, X-rays and blood tests, many doctors in NJ left us with more questions than answers and my poor mother still struggling to do day to day activities. After seeing close to 10 doctors, we finally found one willing to help us somewhat in May of 2024. We were sat down and told my mom has Interstitial Lung Disease that will eventually cause her lungs to have irreversible scaring. This rocked our world to say the least but the glimmer of hope was being prescribed a medication to protect and prevent any further disease progression. The catch to the medication though, was the co-pay could range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to 5,000 a month. Debt or life altering medication was no choice, we needed to pursue this medication and so we did.

Fast forward to what is now February of 2025… a full year of having our life thrown for a loop… my mom still was not able to do much if anything without oxygen therapy. With our own personal research, the encouragement of my Uncle Peter and the help of two doctors in NJ and NYC, we found ourselves on the list to been seen at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida in August of 24. That facility provided my mom more answers, assistance and guidance than we have received comprehensively in months within NJ and with over 10 other medical professionals.

Unfortunately, due to progression from misdiagnosis, dismissals and inefficient medical professionals… the damage that was done to my moms lung over the last few months has created irreversible permanent damage also known as scarring/pulmonary fibrosis. With a more specific diagnosis in hand, we finally had the opportunity to be provided comprehensive care for my mom’s condition. Due to my mom’s age and the irreversible scarring, discussions of lung transplants are to be had and could need to be pursued in the future. The overall hope and goal was finding a medication to decrease the symptoms of disease and continue on taking the medication that prevents progression that was previously prescribed. In August, the CT scan for my mom, the medication to prevent the progression of the disease has been working and has allowed her condition to stabilize.

But as of recently, my mom’s condition has worsened. She has been admitted to the hospital in the ICU and intubated to allow her body to shed the carbon monoxide that was built up in her system from her lungs not being able to properly function.

The rest right now is unknown, we don’t know what will happen next. All we know is my mother is a fighter, she is passionate and she is fierce ams this is far from the end of her story. Please continue to pray and send her love in the universe. We appreciate more than you know.

Any contribution means the world to my family and I. This journey has been a rollercoaster, one I would like off of often but as the daughter of a woman so fierce and strong, we fight on for her.

We appreciate all your love, prayers and well wishes.

Jenna and the Speranza family (Joe, Staci, Allie and Justin, Peter).