Fund for David

Dave and his family need your help.  I started this fund project because of the overwhelming need to help David & Michelle Sullivan and their children Sarah and Rachel. Dave has been suffering from heart failure since May 1998. Although in remission (with management), a major relapse occurred in 2012, Dave is now in need of a heart transplant. His relapse and upcoming surgeries along with health conditions and surgeries for their daughter Sarah in 2013 and 2014 has since put the family in extreme financial need. Please see my further explanations about this special families need for medical and life financial support.

As stated above, Dave was diagnosed with heart failure in 1998. For several years he was able to manage the disease and stayed in remission from major medical complications until June 2012. This was the start of a waterfall of medical bills from new procedures, scans and drugs to get the disease under control again. In July 2012, at the age of 38, Dave went through the procedure to implant a CRT-D - Pacemaker Defibrillator.
 
The device with the help of a wide variety of daily medications would help Dave get back some quality of life although it has not proven in his case to be a permanent fix. Adding to the hardships that this re-emergence of the disease had brought on, Dave found himself out of his job that he had performed with accuracy and reliability for years. Because of this, he is now on long term disability and unable to work. With an onslaught of the medical bills at that time coming in daily, losing his job and career put Dave and his family in further financial distress.

Through the several months that followed, Michelle Sullivan struggled to get money coming in to support the family and also pay some bills. She worked at a few part time jobs as well trying to care for Dave and their children.

In August of 2013 they were hit with another devistating trial and financial burden as their daughter Sarah was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, which occurs when part of the skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on the brain and forcing it downward. Part of this included a fluid-filled cavity within the spinal cord called a SYRINX, and scoliosis which would require future spinal fusion surgery. Sarah for months had been showing signs that something was wrong. In August 2013, Sarah had many scans/tests and visited doctors to diagnose the severity of her condition. Dave and Michelle learned that Sarah needed immediate brain surgery to relieve the pressure that her brain was placing on her spine. Within the week of diagnoses, Sarah was admitted in the hospital for surgery. Once again, Dave and Michelle were hit with another round of medical bills.


In September 2014, after months of healing from brain surgery, Sarah was able to move forward with the spinal repairs. Sarah then went through spinal fusion surgery. This involved straightening her spine by installing 18” rods on both sides of her vertebrae, fusing nearly the entire spine. Although very happy and blessed that Sarah made it through both surgeries successfully, they again took another big hit financially. Going forward from the surgeries, Sarah will forever have to keep her condition monitored by a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon on a regular bases.

This past November 2016, Dave again started to experience complications from his heart failure. 
The CRT-D and the current medications nwere no longer working effectively to keep his disease at bay. More visits to the doctor with more medication trials it was determined that the only way to extend Dave’s life and provide any hope was to have a heart transplant.  On May 24, Dave once again went nin for a surgical procedure to replace his current CRT-D. Then, on July 11, he had the LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) pump implanted that will keep his heart going until he’s ready for a new heart. Dave will need at first weekly trips and then monthly trips to the hospital to check his blood and various test as well as regular heart catheterizations performed until a heart is available.

Pictured here is the CRT-D and LVAD attached to Dave's Heart.

Once a heart becomes available, Dave will undergo the extensive transplant surgery. A detailed consultation has not yet been given to the amount of time and check-ins he will endure for healing after the transplant surgery.


At this point in time even before the heart transplant, Dave and Michelle have accrued a credit card debt of almost $81,000 which was a result of paying medical bills and living expenses (Up to until June 2012 Dave and Michelle had no credit card debt). They used over $25,000 of their personal life savings and had been given and used $40,000 from family to move into a smaller more economical home. Estimates are at this time that they will owe another $100,000 after thesurgeries not including the years ahead for additional checkups. Its easy to surmise that the Sullivan family will owe well over $200,000 by 2018.

Michelle has been and will be taking care of both Dave and Sarah and because of this, will not be able to work for some time in order to be there for her family. They have faith that God will provide but in face of such extreme odds, everything has left the family at times emotionally and physically exhausted.

I ask everyone to please pray for the Sullivan family and if financially able to donate to this wonderful family in need. This is a heartbreaking case of extreme financial and medical hardship which is the reason I set the goal of donation need so high. If we get a great response I may raise the limit as the need is much greater than the amount specified.

Please let me or the Sullivan family know if you have any questions and we will be happy to respond. Thank you for blessing this family in any way that you can.