Christian needs a lung and kidney transplant

I have a dear friend (and ex student, age 26) who desperately needs your help. She is relocating to Houston to await a lung and kidney donor for transplant. Doctors say she needs to live within a 60 mile radius in order to stay eligible. Since she and her family live in Fort Worth, she will have to move to Houston for at least a 2 years (possibly more) in order to have the best possible chance of survival. Since she has end stage renal failure as well as lung failure, she is unable to work to provide for herself while she’s out there.

Here is her story - please take the time to read and share.

Christian was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma cancer, stage 4, at the age of 16. Her outlook was bleak and prognosis even worse as doctors cautioned her and her family to make final resting arrangements. However, despite what doctors warned, she took up the battle, fought hard, and was declared in remission in 2013, just a few days before Christmas.

Alas, celebrations were short lived as it took less than 10 years to see the havoc chemotherapy treatments wreaked on her body’s immune system and organs.

Doctors told her last year that due to her failing kidneys, she would have to be on hemodialysis until she found a suitable match. Then, only weeks ago, she reentered the hospital with difficulty breathing - so weak and lethargic, firefighters had to carry her from her bed, to the stretcher, and transport her to the emergency room at Baylor Hospital.

After a couple of weeks in ICU and a lung biopsy, doctors finally came to a diagnosis. Pleauroparenchymal fibroelastosis or PPFE. A extremely rare form of lung disease that is fast-paced and terminal. Doctors gave her no hope unless she can receive a lung transplant. But to be successful, she will need functioning kidneys as well. 2 transplants simultaneously! After being denied by every hospital in the DFW region, she finally found one that would take her case - Houston Methodist Hospital.

She will need to move to Houston and wait for a donor match, but with no job, nor family in the area, she has no choice but to ask for help. She will need a home in the healthcare district as well as money to help with rent, food, utilities, and other things necessary to survive until she is able to make it back home with her new organs.

I am asking for donations, but I am also asking for advice and resources. anything and everything counts. If you know anyone in the Houston area who can help, or if you know of any medical interventions not yet considered, we would love to hear from you and would greatly appreciate your help.

Christian has continually battled since age 16, and now we need to battle for her.