Help Michelle Hammond Get a New Heart

Hi, I'm Stephanie Florentino, oldest daughter of Michelle Hammond. My siblings and I have put this fundraiser together to help out our mom with medical expenses as she begins the long and difficult process of qualifying for heart transplant surgery.

Mom has been suffering from congestive heart failure for several years now, and her condition has steadily deteriorated since. At best, her heart only functions at 15-20%. She is extremely weak and has already suffered from multiple close calls this past year, including in October when her internal defibrillator sensed her heart going into arrhythmia and shocked her a total of 20 times. By the time she arrived at the ER and they stabilized her, her kidneys had gone into shock. They shut down and haven't functioned well since then, so she now requires dialysis in addition to all her other health problems.

Finally, on Christmas Day, we had to take her back to the hospital, where she has remained since. Her heart is so weak and damaged that the doctors believe it is beyond repair. Her only real hope now is a heart transplant. Additionally, if her kidneys do not recover soon, she will likely require a double transplant.

All of these recent hospital stays have accumulated a significant amount of medical expenses, and if she qualifies for the donor list, there will be even more to come. Since Dad died in February 2022, she has had no source of new income; and due to her extremely fragile health, she is unable to work herself. This is why we are asking for your help. All donations will go directly to Michelle to help cover the cost of medical expenses. Your generosity will not only lighten the financial burden she now carries, but will contribute greatly to improving her quality of life.

Thank you for reading, and for whatever donations you can spare, no matter how small. Anything is a blessing and greatly appreciated.