Lung Transplant Recovery

Hi, I'm Greg Niemeyer, a media artist and professor at UC Berkeley. I was recently diagnosed with a rare lung condition called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. It is a terminal disease with no cure except for a lung transplant from an organ donor. Without the transplant, my life expectancy would be less than 12 months.

Luckily, the excellent Lung Transplant team at UCSF handled my pre-transplant work-up and listed me for a transplant. I am very grateful for their care. This operation will likely extend my life for years to come. We are now waiting for a matching donor lung. It could be any day but on average, people stay on "the list" for about 84 days.

Once a donor's lung becomes available, I will have a 4-hour window to get the transplant. The post-transplant recovery phase is 8 weeks long and requires intensive care and services near UCSF. I won't be able to go home, work, cook or drive. The cost of rides, meals, and physical therapy adds up beyond my financial reserves, so I am seeking your support to help pay for these services, which are not covered by insurance. My ♥️ caregivers for this period are primarily my loving wife Lisa and a few alternate caregivers. I am truly grateful that they are ready for whenever the transplant happens and I thank you for your support of this extraordinary and life-giving procedure.

Until recently such transplants were not possible, and even today they are available only in a few specialized medical centers. I feel very grateful that it is possible here and that I may hope for a long life ahead. Thanks so much for your support!