Sierra Hill - Heart Transplant Fundraiser

Update on Sierra:

Sierra received her new donor heart November 12, 2023. Since her surgery she has had a few set backs that have required a longer stay in the hospital. Sierra’s first two biopsies showed 2R rejection, this means her body’s immune system is fighting against the new organ. Once Sierra is discharged, she will have to come back to the hospital once a week every Monday for a new biopsy. If her body continues to show rejection, this will require a 3-4 day hospital stay for the IV steroid treatment. As you can imagine, Sierra will be on medication for the rest of her life. Sierra takes 19 pills at 9am, 4 pills at 12pm, 4 pills at 7 pm and 12 pills at 9pm. Before the transplant, Sierra was healthy overall, now she will require two insulin injection everyday as well as a heparin shot daily. Her medication is a monthly supply which is costly. Sierra will not be able to return to work, have visitors or go out in public for 3 months. Her long-term disability was denied from her job as they are trying to say she had a pre-existing condition. Sierra is currently appealing the decision but has not heard anything back. Sierra’s husband will stay home with her for the first month after she is released before returning to work. Since Sierra’s long term disability was denied, although her job is protected she will not receive any paid benefits, this includes salary and medical/dental/vision/life insurance. Sierra will have to pay out of pocket for her benefits. The first 6-12 months of Sierra’s recovery will be the hardest, as she has to adjust to a new lifestyle. We want her to focus on her health without having to worry about expenses during this time. We have been asking for so much during Sierra’s battle with peripartum cardiomyopathy diagnosis which has led us to a heart transplant. We are forever thankful to God and each and every one of you for the support, prayers, shares and donations. If you could please find it in your heart to help Sierra reach her goal so she can have a successful recovery and get back to being a mother to her children (Aniyah and Kassh), wife (Willie), employee and just herself. No amount is too small and can help reach our goal. The kids are aware that Christmas will be small this year but truthfully they just want their mother home and healthy. Thank you again for everything, we appreciate you all so much.

Update: Sierra has had several surgeries and most recent is the impella which is pumping her heart for her now. She is in the hospital awaiting on an organ donor. She still has a long road a head of her but we continue to pray that she will soon get her new gift.

please continue to pray, donate, share, and become a donor if you haven’t already become one. You will save so many lives and help so many.

Hi, my name is Sue. My daughter Sierra Hill (31) was diagnosed with a rare heart condition called Peripartum cardiomyopathy on September 22, 2022. Sierra had just given birth to her second child in May 2022. She also has a 9 yr old daughter and miscarried in 2021, however the birth of her son is what triggered the cardiomyopathy and left my daughter with an ejection fraction of 15%. Sierra has been hospitalized in ICU several times since being diagnosed. She is now in congestive heart failure, she has been placed on several different medications such as Entresto, Omnicef, Corlanor, Furosemide, Spironolactone, Digoxin, Farxiga, aspirin, Metoprolol, and is now on a milrinone infusion. Despite all the medications and having a sub-ICD implanted in her left side, Sierras ejection fraction has not improved. Sierra is unable to stay on the milrinone infusion that’s helping her heart pump and will now have to get an lvad (mechanical device to help pump the heart) inserted until she awaits a Donar heart. The doctors are skeptical that medicine will heal her heart condition. Usually, women who are diagnosed with this condition improve 3-6 months after being diagnosed. Sierras heart failure team at Northeast Georgia referred her to Emory for a heart transplant evaluation. She completed the evaluation and was approved to be added to the transplant list. She has weekly doctor appointments until she receives her donor heart. She had to make several lifestyle adjustments with changing her eating habits and is on fluid restrictions. The heart transplant specialist team advised Sierra to be a great candidate for a new heart, the reason being that she’s overall healthy. She’s young and outgoing, stays positive most of the time, which makes her strong and has a supportive family. Sierra is working but has had to take some time off from work while dealing with her health issues. She has health insurance; however United Healthcare is no longer in Northeast Georgia’s network which is where the heart failure team primary hospital is. Sierra has filed paperwork for continuation of care but has not heard anything back from United Healthcare. Sierra now seeks treatment at Emory cardiac hospital which is over an hour away from her home. Unfortunately, her hospital bills, dr bills, and cost of medication along with travel expenses are adding up. She also has a private nurse that comes to her house once a week to change her dressing in her picc line as well ordering medical supplies needed to care for her picc line daily.

Every day is a struggle for Sierra, just before her health issues declined, her husband, JR, was in a motorcycle accident. His injuries resulted in the loss of his spleen as well as several surgeries to date. JR has been out of work since 2021. Sierra cherishes her family and is looking forward to the day that she can spend family time with them. She is limited to the things a normal mother could do with her children. As a mother it’s hard to see your child suffering but Sierra is strong and has her faith that she relies on. My daughter has been through so much over the past few months, her normalcy was literally taken from her in the blink of an eye. She still has many hard months ahead of her. We were told the transplant list is anywhere from 4-6 months. As you can imagine the dr bills she has already accrued, the transplant is even more expensive. Your support can make a world of difference in my daughter receiving this donor heart. Please, donate whatever you can and share this page with all your loved ones. Keep Sierra, her family, and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

This would be one less thing she has to worry about if we can help with her receiving this donor heart so she can return to her family and enjoy her new gift of life with her babies. Thank you for taking the time to read her story and for your love and support.

With all my heart, Thank you ~ Sue.