Expense Coverage for Kenzie’s Heart Transplant
Donation protected
Meet my incredibly strong sister Kenzie! This girl is amazing in so many ways and everyone who knows Kenzie, loves Kenzie. Her smile is simply beautiful, she has some mad cooking skills and my boys, her nephews, think Aunt Kenzie (“Titi”) walks on water.
Because of a congenital heart defect Kenzie has had to fight hard, while growing up, in several areas. It affected her learning processes, her short-term memory and her ability to have stamina. Through those obstacles Kenzie was still able to obtain her high school diploma and a license in Cosmetology. We are proud of her accomplishments!
Since birth Kenzie has had over 25 surgeries to improve her health and quality of life. The most severe occurred in 2011. The procedure itself went well, but they couldn’t stop the internal bleeding. Kenzie was put on life-support for overnight because the surgery took all day, and the surgeons needed a break to regroup. The next day they went in and, miraculously, were able to fix the situation.
At that time a Facebook page was started for Kenzie and this is what my mom wrote: June 24,2011 · “SHE IS DOING UNBELIEVABLY WELL!!! Kenzie has beat the odds! At one point we were told that only 1/3 of the people who go on the ECMO machine will survive. We also were told to consider a heart transplant. BUT after last night's surgery she didn't need to go back on the machine AND she was alert this morning and had tears running down her cheek when we talked to her! Keep praying guys and THANK YOU!” https://www.facebook.com/PrayForKC
The last several years have taken a toll on Kenzie. She has not been able to work for a year and a half because of side effects of heart failure. Last year while having a new valve inserted a pin-sized puncture occurred in her lung. She spent two weeks in the hospital and more time at home getting it to heal. This in turn has caused depression.
As you can imagine as a 22 y/o she should be working, having an active social life and planning out her future, but that isn’t what her life looks like. Thankfully Kenzie maintains a good attitude and has some amazing friends, family, and a boyfriend, who are all very supportive.
April 2024 Kenzie went in for her regular visit to the cardiologist. He said, “I know 3 years ago we did an evaluation for a heart transplant and decided to hold off and try some other things. We did those things, but you still aren’t feeling much better are you?” Kenzie agreed. He went on to tell my sister and mom that they didn’t have anything else to offer her and that a transplant would be the next option, but he just didn’t know when. They discussed it for some time and when Kenzie got home, she told my mom that she was ready for a transplant if the doctors felt it was time. She explained that she wants to have hope for her future and would like to do it while she is still young.
Kenzie got on the patient portal and wrote to her cardiologist conveying her personal feelings about it. Within a week Vanderbilt started setting up appointments for a reevaluation for a heart transplant.
HERE IS HER GOOD NEWS AND REASON FOR HOPE: “06/20/24 Dear Kenzie Marie Cathey, This letter is to inform you that you were presented at our Multidisciplinary Selection Committee and, after review by our committee, you were officially placed on the UNOS Heart Transplant waiting list at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a Status of Active candidate, effective 06/20/24 - Status 4”
None of us like to ask for help, especially for financial help, but I am asking on behalf of my family. Our mom is Kenzie’s caretaker. Every time Kenzie has an appointment at Vanderbilt it is the two of them that make the trek. It is 200 miles (about 3 hours) each way. The cost of gas, food, lodging and other unforeseen needs add up quickly. When Kenzie gets her heart transplant she will stay in the hospital for 3-4 weeks and after being released from the hospital she must stay in Nashville for 2 months. That is mandated by Vanderbilt’s transplant team for anyone who lives further than an hour away, because of how often she needs to be seen and the fact that most complications would occur during that time.
Once Kenzie is home in Knoxville she will be taking monthly trips to Vanderbilt for transplant follow-up for the first year. To take care of Kenzie our mom will need to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job with the school system. The social worker said she needs to plan to have the funds to cover 3 months’ worth of lost wages plus additional money to cover her regular monthly expenses, travel, car maintenance, food and other living expenses. My stepdad, who also works for the school system, will keep things going at home for our brother and their 4-legged family members. Every single dollar will make a difference and will be deeply appreciated! Please help me with making this as stress-free, from a financial perspective, as possible. I can’t wait to see my sister well again!
Sincerely,
Shannon Quinton
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE INFO: Heterotaxy Syndrome Heterotaxy is a rare birth defect that results in an abnormal arrangement of the heart and other organs in the body. There are different forms of heterotaxy and approximately 80% involve heart defects of varying types and severity. Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV) is an abnormal heart condition in which two major arteries (instead of one) connect to your right ventricle or heart chamber. Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) is a rare congenital anomaly that occurs when the hepatic segment of the IVC is absent. It's also known as isolated IVC interruption with azygos continuation. This anomaly is usually asymptomatic and occurs in 0.2–3% of the population. Anomalous Coronary Artery (ACA), is a rare heart defect that affects the structure or location of one or more coronary arteries.
Because of a congenital heart defect Kenzie has had to fight hard, while growing up, in several areas. It affected her learning processes, her short-term memory and her ability to have stamina. Through those obstacles Kenzie was still able to obtain her high school diploma and a license in Cosmetology. We are proud of her accomplishments!
Since birth Kenzie has had over 25 surgeries to improve her health and quality of life. The most severe occurred in 2011. The procedure itself went well, but they couldn’t stop the internal bleeding. Kenzie was put on life-support for overnight because the surgery took all day, and the surgeons needed a break to regroup. The next day they went in and, miraculously, were able to fix the situation.
At that time a Facebook page was started for Kenzie and this is what my mom wrote: June 24,2011 · “SHE IS DOING UNBELIEVABLY WELL!!! Kenzie has beat the odds! At one point we were told that only 1/3 of the people who go on the ECMO machine will survive. We also were told to consider a heart transplant. BUT after last night's surgery she didn't need to go back on the machine AND she was alert this morning and had tears running down her cheek when we talked to her! Keep praying guys and THANK YOU!” https://www.facebook.com/PrayForKC
The last several years have taken a toll on Kenzie. She has not been able to work for a year and a half because of side effects of heart failure. Last year while having a new valve inserted a pin-sized puncture occurred in her lung. She spent two weeks in the hospital and more time at home getting it to heal. This in turn has caused depression.
As you can imagine as a 22 y/o she should be working, having an active social life and planning out her future, but that isn’t what her life looks like. Thankfully Kenzie maintains a good attitude and has some amazing friends, family, and a boyfriend, who are all very supportive.
April 2024 Kenzie went in for her regular visit to the cardiologist. He said, “I know 3 years ago we did an evaluation for a heart transplant and decided to hold off and try some other things. We did those things, but you still aren’t feeling much better are you?” Kenzie agreed. He went on to tell my sister and mom that they didn’t have anything else to offer her and that a transplant would be the next option, but he just didn’t know when. They discussed it for some time and when Kenzie got home, she told my mom that she was ready for a transplant if the doctors felt it was time. She explained that she wants to have hope for her future and would like to do it while she is still young.
Kenzie got on the patient portal and wrote to her cardiologist conveying her personal feelings about it. Within a week Vanderbilt started setting up appointments for a reevaluation for a heart transplant.
HERE IS HER GOOD NEWS AND REASON FOR HOPE: “06/20/24 Dear Kenzie Marie Cathey, This letter is to inform you that you were presented at our Multidisciplinary Selection Committee and, after review by our committee, you were officially placed on the UNOS Heart Transplant waiting list at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a Status of Active candidate, effective 06/20/24 - Status 4”
None of us like to ask for help, especially for financial help, but I am asking on behalf of my family. Our mom is Kenzie’s caretaker. Every time Kenzie has an appointment at Vanderbilt it is the two of them that make the trek. It is 200 miles (about 3 hours) each way. The cost of gas, food, lodging and other unforeseen needs add up quickly. When Kenzie gets her heart transplant she will stay in the hospital for 3-4 weeks and after being released from the hospital she must stay in Nashville for 2 months. That is mandated by Vanderbilt’s transplant team for anyone who lives further than an hour away, because of how often she needs to be seen and the fact that most complications would occur during that time.
Once Kenzie is home in Knoxville she will be taking monthly trips to Vanderbilt for transplant follow-up for the first year. To take care of Kenzie our mom will need to take an unpaid leave of absence from her job with the school system. The social worker said she needs to plan to have the funds to cover 3 months’ worth of lost wages plus additional money to cover her regular monthly expenses, travel, car maintenance, food and other living expenses. My stepdad, who also works for the school system, will keep things going at home for our brother and their 4-legged family members. Every single dollar will make a difference and will be deeply appreciated! Please help me with making this as stress-free, from a financial perspective, as possible. I can’t wait to see my sister well again!
Sincerely,
Shannon Quinton
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE INFO: Heterotaxy Syndrome Heterotaxy is a rare birth defect that results in an abnormal arrangement of the heart and other organs in the body. There are different forms of heterotaxy and approximately 80% involve heart defects of varying types and severity. Double Outlet Right Ventricle (DORV) is an abnormal heart condition in which two major arteries (instead of one) connect to your right ventricle or heart chamber. Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) is a rare congenital anomaly that occurs when the hepatic segment of the IVC is absent. It's also known as isolated IVC interruption with azygos continuation. This anomaly is usually asymptomatic and occurs in 0.2–3% of the population. Anomalous Coronary Artery (ACA), is a rare heart defect that affects the structure or location of one or more coronary arteries.
Co-organizers (3)
Shannon Quinton
Organizer
Knoxville, TN
Kimberly Cathey
Beneficiary
Melissa Palmer
Co-organizer