Emma's Life Saving Liver Transplant and Recovery
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Joan Hoffman, and I'm fundraising for Emma Hardy and her family to help with Emma's liver transplant medical expenses. Many of you have asked how you can help, so I have put together this GoFundMe page to support the family. I'm reaching out to the community of family and friends to request your help and support.
On May 6, 2022, at 4 am, the Hardy's got the call they had prayed for but dreaded at the same time. Georgetown Hospital had a liver for their 16-year-old daughter, Emma. She was taken to the hospital immediately. A myriad of tests was performed throughout the day to ensure Emma was ready for the surgery. Her surgery began at 8:30 pm and lasted for almost 6 hours. Emma exceeded the doctor's expectations, and instead of being in the hospital for at least two weeks, she was only in ICU for six days and sent home after only one week in the hospital. However, this is just the beginning of Emma's arduous journey.
It is heartbreaking for any parent to watch their child suffer. Emma has had to endure numerous painful medical procedures at such a young age. She was only nine years old when they removed the first focal nodular hyperplasia. It was later discovered in February 2021 that Emma was born with a genetic condition called Abernathy syndrome, which is believed to have caused the adenomas and focal nodular hyperplasia, which is why she needed the transplant surgery.
The transplant team will need to follow Emma's progress very closely. This will require the frequent 59-mile one-way trip to Georgetown Hospital to run blood tests. These tests are crucial to check for signs of rejection. Also, they check whether they will need to change Emma's medications. Currently, Emma is scheduled to be at the hospital two days a week for them to run tests; the outcomes of these tests could require Emma to have recurrent hospital stays and may even have to relocate to be close to the Transplant Team temporarily. This is an unexpected expense along with the trips back and forth, gas, tolls, and parking fees.
Financially, the Hardy's medical expenses are rapidly escalating. As is usual with these kinds of catastrophic health issues, the family, on top of working around the clock to get Emma physically well, have also had to endure constant battles with their healthcare provider. One surgical procedure that Emma desperately needed first was to get her ready for the transplant. This procedure required that the Transplant Team receive preauthorization and approval from Hardy’s insurance carrier. The Team provided the insurance carrier with extensive justifications and received insurance approval. Emma then had the surgery, which was very expensive. Afterward, the insurance carrier decided to retract their previous approval.
Upon researching this denial, the Hardy's found that the preapproval/prior authorization does not guarantee payment. So, the Hardy family is now responsible for paying out of pocket for this costly procedure. Between these struggles and their daily expenses, the Hardy's have also continued to incur additional medical costs. They constantly receive new medical bills. Emma has now been prescribed 28 separate prescriptions that are very expensive but are required for her body not to reject the new liver. She is currently taking over 28 pills a day. The financial impact is rapidly escalating. The Hardy’s are presently fighting with their insurance carrier over the cost of just one of Emma's prescriptions which costs $12,000 for a 1-month supply. She must be on that medication for at least six months. The doctors are working with the family to see what they can do to get the insurance to cover more. Additionally, Emma also came home with a PICC line. This requires a home health nurse to come in weekly to change the bandages and ensure that Emma’s mom maintains the PICC line correctly.
How You Can Help
Even with good health insurance, the cost of Emma’s current and future care is overwhelming, and it’s a very stressful time for the Hardy Family. Also, before Emma's diagnosis, her dad was out of work for eight months due to complications from a knee replacement surgery, requiring four surgeries and loss of wages during that time. The time he missed from work and the medical care he needed, combined with Emma's many doctor and hospital visits, has exhausted the Hardy's savings. While insurance will pay a good portion, we all know it does not pay for it all… there is that percentage that the individual must cover. On a procedure such as this, that percentage is a hefty amount. Unfortunately, the Hardy family has met their catastrophic insurance levels for the past three years, which results in high out-of-pocket expenses.
The tremendous expenses they will accumulate cannot be managed without the support of family, friends, a caring community, and strangers alike. The biggest threat of this transplant is the fear that Emma's body can reject the new liver. It is a process that will have to be monitored daily, monthly, and yearly with the hope that anti-rejection medications will allow this surgery to be successful. She will be on these medications for the rest of her life. The family would greatly appreciate any amount you could donate!!
Let’s rally behind the Hardy Family with prayer, love, and any assistance we can provide to help ease this journey. We hope any funds raised will help alleviate some of the financial burdens so the family can focus on supporting Emma through this journey. Please check back regularly as we will post updates on Emma's progress. We hope you will consider doing one or more of the following:
Donate: Your gift—no matter how small—can help make a difference for Emma and her family. If you can spare a dollar, or even five, it would go a long way towards making their journey easier. You can donate through the go fund or donate directly using the following.
• Venmo: @Sally-Hardy-8
• Paypal: @sahardy05
• Become an Organ Donor: Organ donors help save lives. Register with your state’s organ donor registry today!
• Send a Card to lift Emma’s spirits and help remind her she’s not alone in this journey. You can send cards to:
35 S. Berlin Pike, Lovettsville, VA 20180
The family has established a caring bridge web page. If you would like to follow their journey, see:
Organizer and beneficiary
Joan Hoffman
Organizer
Gaithersburg, MD
Sally Hardy
Beneficiary