Urgent Cancer Treatment & Surgery for Kristin

This fundraiser is for Kristin Payton who needs assistance with covering the costs of an emergency cancer treatment and surgery. She was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Porta Hepatis Adeninocarcinoma as a result of her ongoing battle with Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH), end-stage liver failure, and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

At the age of 25, our close friend Kristin, a hardworking medical technologist at a local hospital and incredibly caring person, was suddenly hospitalized for sudden onset acute liver inflammation. It was at this time she was diagnosed with Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH), a rare autoimmune disease that affects the liver primarily and usually affects persons twice her age. Over the three years since this initial diagnosis, Kristin has seen multiple specialists in Mississippi and Louisiana, resulting in additional diagnoses of end-stage liver failure and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, a harmful condition in which damaging scar tissue forms in and along the bile duct, potentially blocking it off completely, and it can cause or worsen liver damage. Doctors have had much difficulty discerning the best forms of medical care for Kristin due to the rarity of AIH and complicated conditions and symptoms she was experiencing. Toward the end of 2019, Kristin was placed on a liver transplant list; however, during the long wait for a liver to become available for her, she has constantly been in and out of the ER every few months with intense, debilitating pain.

It was during one of these last ER visits, in October 2021, that doctors discovered an infection in her abdomen. After testing, they sent her home with antibiotics with the hopes that the infection would clear out. Yet less than 3 weeks later, Kristin was unfortunately hospitalized again because the infection did not completely clear; during this hospital stay, it was decided by her care team that she be transferred to a hospital in Louisiana for more comprehensive testing to determine what might be exacerbating her condition. This time, the diagnosis was Stage 4 Porta Hepatis Adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer which affects the lymph nodes of the liver. After consulting with an oncologist, it has been confirmed there are additional cancer cells present in Kristin’s bile duct, liver, pancreas, and even her lungs. Because of this recent cancer diagnosis, Kristin was officially removed the transplant list and also officially referred to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The specialists at MD Anderson strongly recommend that Kristin undergo a combination of chemotherapy and a surgery to remove the cancerous tissues and cells as this is the best option for combatting the cancer.

Kristin desperately needs this life-saving surgery, but she and her family cannot afford the climbing costs of her current medical bills on top of the cost of both chemotherapy and surgery together. She has exhausted all other options of financial aid, including and especially federal and state disability aid. With not being able to work due to pure exhaustion and incredibly unbearable pain, Kristin is in dire need of assistance to help cover costs to ensure she receives the care she deserves. If you are able to do so, please consider donating to help Kristin in this great time of need! Your donation will be received with the utmost amount of gratitude and appreciation. Thank you so much for your time, consideration, and help!