Iris' Operation & Support Fund

For the last 15 years Iris has been suffering with a progressively debilitating form of non-alcoholic genetic chronic pancreatitis. The overpowering pain, nausea and inability to digest food has rendered her unable to eat, drink liquids, be active or work.  She is surviving with a jejunostomy and gastronomy feeding tube and requires a variety of therapeutic drugs, alternative therapies, specialist and hospitalizations.

Iris needs a complex lifesaving operation from the University of Minnesota in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic.  A total pancreatectomy with islet auto-transplantation (TP-IAT) involves removing the entire pancreas (and thus, the root cause of pain), isolating the islet cells from the excised pancreas, and then transplanting them back to into the liver via the portal vein.  Additionally the entire spleen, gall bladder, duodenum and sections of the intestines and stomach will be removed and restructured. 

This operation has worked for thousands of others, including her sister Tara, who suffered with the same non-alcoholic genetic  chronic pancreatitis. In 2012 Tara underwent this same procedure and after extensive rehabilitation is now fully recovered and able to eat, drink liquids, exercise and work full-time.

After years of fighting like a champ, Iris needs your support for a lifesaving operation, therapeutic medications, and physical rehabilitation.   Thank you so much for your compassion and support.