Help Memphis Community Organizer Get New Lungs

To know Chelsea is to know her as an incredible mother, fearless organizer, and loyal friend. Over the past decade, our community has benefited from her tireless efforts to make Memphis a more equitable, safe, and loving city. If you’re reading this--you are likely part of Chelsea’s fan club, someone she’s helped in their time of need, or a co-conspirator in this work because her leadership and drive for justice are just that contagious (or let’s be honest, she roped you into it, lol). If you’re a hater, well just know that she is fueled by your spite and laughs in the face of your valiant efforts as a bona fide *keyboard warrior*.

Regardless of how you found yourself in Chelsea's orbit, there's no denying that she's an unstoppable force for love and justice in our community. Now it’s time we reciprocate the love, community, and commitment that she has shown each of us.

To offer some background--Chelsea has had a lifelong battle with severe asthma as well as an autoimmune disease called Sjögren's syndrome that attacks connective tissue, including her lungs. In December of 2020, she contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized after serious complications from the virus. Although Chelsea was released from the hospital, she did not actually recover. She spent the next two years on increasing amounts of oxygen as she continued to decline without any explanation or diagnosis.

After countless hours of research and constant advocating for more testing from local doctors, Chelsea’s pulmonologist diagnosed her with Obliterative Fibrosing Bronchiolitis last year–a rare, progressive, and terminal lung disease. The life expectancy is only 3-5 years past the onset of symptoms. The only treatment plan available to save Chelsea's life is a double lung transplant as soon as possible. We are beyond grateful Chelsea is a viable candidate for a transplant, and the plan is that her surgery will occur as soon as this December.

Chelsea’s journey will be long. She will have to relocate to a specialty hospital several hours away for her surgery and live near the hospital for 3 additional months for post-surgery observation. Post-surgery housing is not covered by insurance and will cost about $9,000. The surgery itself may or may not be covered by insurance and brings a price tag of at least $200,000 if not.

Once she is released, Chelsea requires 2 trained caretakers at all times. She will then have a 12-month recovery journey as her lungs acclimate to their new home.

Additionally, before she is able to receive her transplant, she has to have at least $20,000 in the bank upfront, to demonstrate she can pay for any potential complications, additional medications, etc. Some of the medications required for her body to accept the new lungs can cost up to $5,000 a month.

In the midst of all of these tremendous obstacles, Chelsea’s disability only fueled her to be more committed and passionate about creating a safer, more accessible world for everyone. As Chelsea prepares for surgery, she continues her full-time work as a community organizer and stay-at-home parent to her two children.

Chelsea is the strongest person we know, and we are determined to see her able to continue to raise her beautiful children, do the work she loves on behalf of our community, and deepen her ability to make more art, tend to her garden, and do the things that make her happy--free of illness or financial stress.

Your support would mean the world to us, to Chelsea and her family, and to our community. We all benefit from her ability to have this transplant and a stress-free road to recovery and health.

We hope to raise $250,000 to cover her surgery, recovery, housing, and medications. Out of transparency, if her insurance does cover her surgery--the funding will go towards these things:

We do ask that you please respect Chelsea’s privacy at this time and hold off on asking her questions about this process or her illness leading up to the surgery. There are a multitude of things Chelsea, her family, medical team, and caregivers will have to navigate in the next month leading up to the transplant and our focus on this process is critical to a successful surgery and recovery. We will have an opportunity for you to send letters and crafts to her while she recovers and we’ll keep you updated on when you can do that!

We appreciate your support for Chelsea and are so thankful for the love our community will return to her during this time.

-Laura Mason, Alex Hensley, & Blake Burr