Sarah's New Lungs

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters-

Our younger sister, Sarah, was diagnosed at age 4 with Idiopathic Pulmonary Hypertension. This is a life-threatening, progressive disease that has no cure. Known as high blood pressure of the lungs, the vessels are narrowed, causing the pressure in the lungs to rise. As a result, the heart has to work much harder to push the blood through the narrow vessels, constantly working against the high pressure in the lungs. This causes shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and chest pain. Imagine breathing through a straw 24/7 for your breaths…that is just part of what it feels like to have PH. Completing even the simplest tasks can be exhausting.

With the assistance of an INCREDIBLE medical team and GOD, Sarah has surpassed the statistics that said she should have died by age 10. Her life has been a constant of medications, oxygen, and a continuous infusion of intravenous medication delivered by a pump she wears all the time to help keep her lung pressures down.

Now at the age of 21, Sarah has been told that all her medical therapies are maxed out. Her health and stamina continue to decline. Sarah’s disease has robbed her of many life experiences, making it impossible to work, go to college, or even be awake more than 8 hours a day. The time has come for a double lung transplant. As anyone can imagine, there are insurmountable costs associated with a transplant. For this reason, we are creating a GoFundMe to assist Sarah and our parents with the financial burden of giving her a new chance at life. It is very humbling for my family to do this, but this is way too big to handle on our own. Your donations will help cover the numerous hospital bills. It will also cover the cost of a hotel as Sarah, and her caregivers have to stay within 10 mins of the hospital for an unknown amount of time, even after discharge from the hospital. The funds will help cover the cost of multiple medications Sarah has to take after the surgery, uncovered medical expenses and any other needed gaps that my parents may have.

Anyone who has met Sarah is immediately wowed by her infectious smile that lights up a room every time she walks into it. She has an incredibly fierce positive attitude, and I know she will face this surgery with grace and determination. A lover of mountains and being outdoors with her beloved Golden Retriever, she is excited to live a life without PH possibly…because right now, just getting out of bed is a struggle some days.

I couldn’t have asked for a better sister or best friend. She is one of the most understanding people that I have ever met. She loves with her whole heart and trusts everyone that comes into her life. I’m incredibly proud of her and how she has accepted her disease as she has grown. Not only does she embrace it with a smile, but she isn’t afraid of what is next in her life.

We thank you for your prayers, support, and any assistance you can provide.

Emma and Zach