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#savstrong liver transplant

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This Go Fund Me Campaign is for Savannah Rennie, a 19 Year old girl who has been one of the most healthiest girl I know. Maybe a common cold here and there but that is it.
This fund raising effort is to help offset the medical bills, lifelong medications, travel expenses and living expenses that are ocurring in order to get Savannah a liver transplant. I am Renee, her mother and here is her story.

Savannah L. Rennie born 12/18/1996 in San Diego California. She grew up idolizing her brother, Luc and doing everything he did. Luc is a very athletic child so Savannah grew up playing soccer, basketball, hockey, (ice & street) & baseball. No - not softball- Baseball on a competitive team -The Powerhouse Baseball Club & Del Mar Littele League. She played baseball with the same group of boys from the time she was 6 years old until she was 13. During this time she became very well known not only because she was VERY good, but because she was a GIRL excelling in a boys sport. She was a pitcher & catcher as well as other positions. This is important to know about her because it made her a very strong person. She would never, ever cry even when the other team would throw piches at her and hit her at the plate. Savannah became one of the most fiercest competitiors in southern california in every sport she played. During her baseball career she hit many milestones and "firsts"- I am sure some of her coaches and teamates can post some of these to view.

Moving on - when she was 11 a girl she played soccer with invited Savannah to come "for fun" and try out for a volleyball team, as Savannah was a very tall girl. In fact she towered over all her baseball teammates! Savannah had NEVER played volleyball before, not even on the beach, but she never turned down a challenge. About 30 minutes into the tryout we were approached by one of the coaches who apparently saw potential-he told us they wanted her play on the "competitive travel team". We had no idea what that would entail, but Savannah wanted to do it, so we said yes. She played both baseball & volleyball for the next 2 years- however volleyball was quickly becoming a sport she loved as much as baseball and it helped that she was playing with other girls-( not to many girls play high school baseball)

She focused on indoor volleyball and became a force to be reckoned with. Playing any position asked of her for the competitive teams- Wave as well as her Torrey Pines High School Team and USA Volleyball. She earned a reputation as one of toughest competitiors in the country as well as one of the hardest working. She received many accolades during this time and was recruited by some of the top Volleyball Universities in the country. Savannah decided she would like to be a University of California - Berkeley Golden Bear. She commited to Cal and graduated early from High School and started an entire semester early at Cal to help get prepared for the Fall 2015 season!

Savannah Woke up June 4th 2015 like any ordinary day, Working out at Jackson Strength, she was able to practice with the Wave 18's team's that night- which was a plus. She began not feeling very good at about 11pm, headache, nauseated, body pain, fever. From there she became worse, eventually the next day with a fever of 105.0. I took her to her Primary care Dr who said she probably had the flu. Fast forward --over the next 8 days- we took her to the Urgent care 4 additional times with no answers from all the tests that they were running and imaging they did. On the last trip June 13- with an enlarged Spleen & Liver they admitted her to the hospital. After numerous liver biopsy's, MRI, MRCP's ERCP's A liver Stent, more hospitalizations from June to September, her Heptologist was finally able to nail down a diagnosis.

During all these months, waiting to be diagnosed Savannah continued to go to classes and Volleyball practice - giving suport to her teammates. September 17th 2015 Savannah was diagnosised with Congential Hepatic Fibrosis with Portal Hypertension.
This a congenital ( meaning both Bill & I have the recessive gene and passed them both to Savannah) This is a rare finding, but what makes Savannahs case even more rare is this disease usually presents itself at birth or when you become much older (70-80's.) It is most certainaly NOT seen in a healthy 18-19 year old. Savannah has failed all the apptempt to manage the disease with medication and continues to be hospitalized with Cholangitits and sepsis (which is what happens from having this disease) . The only thing to do now is to get her a new liver.

We need to get this GoFundMe campaigne started because while in Indianapolis at the IU Health Transplant department - Savannah was getting her evaluation to be listed for a new liver, She became sick again with Cholangitis and has been hospitalized again. We had to change our flights, add to the car rental and hotel. We will be able to get a new Liver for Savannah sooner in Indiana than on the west coast. Once she is listed we will need to live in Indianapolis until the organ becomes availble as well as after for 3 months for follow up. I being her main care giver will have to take a leave of absence from my job, which means I will not be recieveing my salary.

Savannah has touched so many people in her very short 19 years on this earth and this has completely blindsided her. It has completely changed her life as one could imagine. With her New liver Savannah will be able to be that same person she was before becoming sick, only better! This new Savannah will be living because someone gave her the gift of life.
Savannah has learned a lesson that most people may never learn, that is to be thankful for the little things in life and never take the simplest things for granted.

She will be able to train hard, play volleyball and have a full long life, including having children! She could well be the first woman in the USA to play Womans Collegate D1, volleyball as a Liver Transplant recipient. She would like to bring awareness to this very RARE disease and help with raising money for research in this field. Savannah will strive to be a MODEL Liver transplant recipient and help to bring awareness to the importance of being a Donor and giving the gift of life.

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Donations 

  • Chris Capistran
    • $16 
    • 6 yrs
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Organizer and beneficiary

Renee Rennie
Organizer
San Diego, CA
Savannah Rennie
Beneficiary

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