Just Breathe- Tessa Wells Double Lung Transplant

As many of you know, my mother, Tessa Wells, is in End Stage Lung Disease with COPD and emphysema. She is on oxygen 24/7 and is in need of a double lung transplant. She is a mother of 6 and a grandmother of 7. She lives for her children and her grandchildren, that is what brings her joy in life. September of 2016 is when she first really had gotten sick and was hospitalized for the first time. We almost lost her due to her carbon dioxide levels being too high.. it was an 89 which is extremely high and dangerous level to be in. She uses a Bi-Pap machine nightly, and now her “normal” carbon dioxide level stays in the low 50’s currently. Since 2016, she has been hospitalized a total of 5 times, all with being admitted into the ICU for 3 weeks or more at a time. We started testing at the Cleveland Clinic earlier this month for her lung transplant and they would like to move forward with testings and appointments to further evaluate to be accepted onto the transplant list. From 2017, early 2018, her lung function went from 42% to 16% which is a huge drop. It is so scary to be the one there when your mom is struggling to breath, turns blue and purple in front of you while you are helpless calling for an ambulance hoping they get to you in time. I cannot tell you how thankful I am for the First Responders every time they’ve came to our rescue. She is strong and I know that when we are at time of transplant, she will fight for her new lungs and be strong enough to embrace them and live the life she is wanting to live with her family. She goes to cardiopulmonary rehab 3 times a week to stay strong and active to be able to keep her body busy and strong in this process for pre transplant. She still has other testings and appointments that are needed before she is officially “accepted” to be on the transplant list, but her doctors do believe that she is a great candidate for transplant. I am creating this GOFUNDME to help her not stress or worry about the medical costs that transplant will bring for pre transplant and post transplant and every appointment and testing in between. From all of the appointments and testings needed for this whole process, you can assume it is not cheap. But it is worth it. We have been praying to God and talking to him daily for strength, knowledge and peace throughout this whole process. Not only for our mom, but for us, her children who she loves wholeheartedly. All costs donated are for strictly medical costs and our mother cannot thank you enough for helping her reach her goal for transplant which is $15,000. We are overwhelmed with those who all have reached out and ask to help in anyway, including strangers to who we’ve never met. There is still good in this world and you realize how many good there is in the world while facing one of the hardest parts of life.




If unable to donate, it is understood. Please share this to help get the word out!




We have an account set up at the 1st National Bank of Dennison in Gnadenhutten, Ohio but you can use any of the branches in Dennison, Gnadenhutten, New Philadelphia and Dover. The account name is: Tessa Wells Benefit.




The Spaghetti Dinner Benefit is Saturday,

October 12th at the Dover Memorial Hall from 1-6pm. We are having a silent auction, food and a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. 




If you’d like to donate or help in anyway, please contact Tessa’s daughters, Angelica Fishel or Erika Miller.




Thank you for taking the time to read this and helping share this. This is all in God’s hands.