Chris Ayres Medical Relief Fund
Donation protected
After struggling for several years with C.O.P.D. / emphysema - I went to sleep around 5:10 PM on October 31st, and woke up just before midnight that same night with a working set of lungs. It had been an unbelievable journey to get to that point. One I would have never made without the help of so many of you in the anime community.
I would like to begin by thanking this community for all of the support I’ve seen over the last few years. Thank you for past donations, messages, prayers, well-wishes, good vibes, calls, and text messages. I found friendship in so many unexpected places. I would also like to take a moment to thank my organ donor. That selfless, and very generous donation, allowed me a fighting chance in what felt like an impossible battle. I know they were loved, and must have family who miss them dearly, and will be forever grateful to them for their gift of life.
While I have been incredibly blessed throughout this journey, I have also seen a few setbacks, since the initial transplant surgery. The mucus around one of my lungs had hardened, preventing it from inflating properly. To correct this, doctors had to go in for a second surgery to clean the walls of the lung. That fixed that problem, but was a second surgery that kept me hospitalized an additional month. I am currently recovering from another surgical procedure (performed on June 10th) to stent and airway that was 3/4 blocked. This is also an additional surgery that I had not planned on.
People in the medical industry commonly refer to the double lung transplant as the “Million Dollar Surgery”, and now I understand why. The cost of the surgery itself was in the hundreds of thousands, with a two month hospitalization period. I still require a battery of 41 pills a day, with additional breathing and nebulizer treatments. I also require a continuous supply of medical masks, and sanitizing products (that have suddenly become fairly difficult to acquire) along with more sanitizing wipes and alcohol swabs than used by my favorite TV detective, Adrian Monk.
While I am grateful to have insurance that covers a percentage of my costs, every new x-ray, lung clinic, and surgical procedure require co-payments. I know that I am blessed to even be alive, but the cost of all of these things combined have depleted most all of the money both raised, granted, and saved up at the beginning of this journey. While these expenses continue to add up, I am unable to work, until I am cleared to do so.
Oni-Con has been my home convention since the very beginning of my voice over career, so I was honored that they were willing to assist me in raising the additional funds so badly needed for my continued medical care. We have set the baseline goal higher this time around, since the medical debt, and combined cost of medication is far beyond what I could have imagined when diagnosed.
If you are able to donate anything at all, it is appreciated more than I can begin to express. I realize that the current pandemic, has cost many jobs and many people are facing financial uncertainty. If you aren’t in a position to donate, I would really appreciate passing the link for this along, and help us in reaching others. So many have done so much to help, and I quite literally owe them my life. I am continually amazed at the generosity of this community, and I look forward to a time one day when I am in a position to return that generosity somehow.
My mother (Patricia Ayres) will be acting as the beneficiary of this fundraiser. While I continue to focus on my recovery, and rehabilitation, she will ensure that all funds are directed towards billing for surgeries, lung clinics and medication.
Thank you so much for everything.
I would like to begin by thanking this community for all of the support I’ve seen over the last few years. Thank you for past donations, messages, prayers, well-wishes, good vibes, calls, and text messages. I found friendship in so many unexpected places. I would also like to take a moment to thank my organ donor. That selfless, and very generous donation, allowed me a fighting chance in what felt like an impossible battle. I know they were loved, and must have family who miss them dearly, and will be forever grateful to them for their gift of life.
While I have been incredibly blessed throughout this journey, I have also seen a few setbacks, since the initial transplant surgery. The mucus around one of my lungs had hardened, preventing it from inflating properly. To correct this, doctors had to go in for a second surgery to clean the walls of the lung. That fixed that problem, but was a second surgery that kept me hospitalized an additional month. I am currently recovering from another surgical procedure (performed on June 10th) to stent and airway that was 3/4 blocked. This is also an additional surgery that I had not planned on.
People in the medical industry commonly refer to the double lung transplant as the “Million Dollar Surgery”, and now I understand why. The cost of the surgery itself was in the hundreds of thousands, with a two month hospitalization period. I still require a battery of 41 pills a day, with additional breathing and nebulizer treatments. I also require a continuous supply of medical masks, and sanitizing products (that have suddenly become fairly difficult to acquire) along with more sanitizing wipes and alcohol swabs than used by my favorite TV detective, Adrian Monk.
While I am grateful to have insurance that covers a percentage of my costs, every new x-ray, lung clinic, and surgical procedure require co-payments. I know that I am blessed to even be alive, but the cost of all of these things combined have depleted most all of the money both raised, granted, and saved up at the beginning of this journey. While these expenses continue to add up, I am unable to work, until I am cleared to do so.
Oni-Con has been my home convention since the very beginning of my voice over career, so I was honored that they were willing to assist me in raising the additional funds so badly needed for my continued medical care. We have set the baseline goal higher this time around, since the medical debt, and combined cost of medication is far beyond what I could have imagined when diagnosed.
If you are able to donate anything at all, it is appreciated more than I can begin to express. I realize that the current pandemic, has cost many jobs and many people are facing financial uncertainty. If you aren’t in a position to donate, I would really appreciate passing the link for this along, and help us in reaching others. So many have done so much to help, and I quite literally owe them my life. I am continually amazed at the generosity of this community, and I look forward to a time one day when I am in a position to return that generosity somehow.
My mother (Patricia Ayres) will be acting as the beneficiary of this fundraiser. While I continue to focus on my recovery, and rehabilitation, she will ensure that all funds are directed towards billing for surgeries, lung clinics and medication.
Thank you so much for everything.
Fundraising team: Oni-Con Ayres Fund Crew (3)
Lee Wilson
Organizer
Houston, TX
Patricia Ayres
Beneficiary
Anton Petersen
Team member