Mikayla’s Multivisceral Transplant

Hi, my name is Sharon Yanchik and this fundraiser is for my 25 year old daughter Mikayla. She is in need of a multivisceral transplant which is four organs or more. The organs she needs are the stomach, pancreas, small and large intestine. Depending on how long she is on the transplant, the liver maybe added as well. She was listed as Status 1 which we were told was the top of the list. Now we wait!

Back story on how Mikayla came to be up for transplant. Mikayla was born with no medical issues. She was a healthy child until the age of six when she was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis. Her arthritis was being treated by a rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. At the age of seven, she had her first spinal fusion followed by another one at age ten. After her second spinal fusion, her health seemed to be doing better. Around the age of eleven, she started having abdominal pain. The GI doctors of Children’s ran many tests and she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. After that diagnosis, her health never really improved. From the age of 16 to 23, Mikayla has had 5 major abdominal surgeries. Each surgery not really fixing her abdominal problems. Her Peptic Ulcer disease caused her to loose most of her stomach and the first and second part of the duodenum which caused her stomach to be paralyzed. She was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome in her twenties and that has caused dysmotility and intestinal failure. The intestinal failure caused her to have her colon removed and have an ileostomy placed. Since Mikayla can’t eat, which has been 12 years now, she is given TPN which is nutrition through the vein. With her intestinal failure, most of her medicines are through her IV.

Mikayla’s only chance at having some kind of normal life and working as a Phlebotomist, going out with friends, having a boyfriend, and most importantly eating food again will come from having the transplant. This GoFundMe will help with medical expenses, medication not covered by insurance, staying at the Family House for patients and family, food, transportation and anything else to help with her recovery. We were told she will be in Pittsburgh anywhere from 3 to 6 months and that will depend on how well she recovers from the transplant and hopefully with no rejection.

We will greatly appreciate any donations during this transplant and recovery process. Mikayla is so ready for this transplant, but she is also scared too. She has been through many surgeries and she knows what to expect and that is what scares her. I myself am scared for her too. It’s hard watching your child suffer and not being able to do much for them but comfort them anyway you can.

Please keep us in your prayers and also the family that will be donating their loved one’s organs when that time comes.