Double Lung Transplant and Medical Bills

I am a single 48 year old female with a 17 year old son. In September 2000, I was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. At the age of 33 and my son only 3 years of age, I was devastated with the word "CANCER". In March 2001, I went through an allogeneic stem cell transplant hoping for a "Cure". Even though I am cancer free, for the last several years I have been dealing with Chronic Graft Verses Host Disease (GVHD). My body still sees the cells as foreign, so it is attacking my body. That is kind of like an auto immune disease. So far, it has attacked my eyes, mouth, skin, muscles, stomach, and lungs. The worst is the lungs. Treatment is immunosuppressant medications. However, January 2012 I started photopheresis along with the medications because the lungs continued to get worse. In March of 2013, my pulmonologist announced to me that the lungs continue to decline and I am in need of a double lung transplant. I was sent to Duke University for a week in June 2013 for an extensive lung transplant evaluation. They told me to start fundraising to get prepared for the transplant because my lungs were at 39% and they transplant at 20% and that I could go into that window at anytime. The total cost for the transplant, including pre-transplant, transplant, and post-transplant is over a million dollars. I am going through a divorce right now and will lose my ex-husbands insurance the end of August 2013. I checked on other insurances and was told because I was high risk, it would cost $1,400 a month and would not cover pre-existing conditions.

Just to tell you a little more about myself. After my stem cell transplant, I decided to go back to college to get my nursing degree. I felt that was my calling even though the doctors tried to discourage me because of my health. I graduated with 3.45 GPA with an Associate degree in Nursing from Southwest Virginia Community College in 2008. I decided to continue my education and recieved a Bachelor's degree in Nursing in 2010 with a 3.9 GPA. I currently work at Clinch Valley Community Hospital on the OB floor on an as needed basis. Because of my health, I am limited on the days i can work. Also, every year I volunteer for Remote Area Medical (RAM) in Grundy, Va. This program is a free health clinic that is held for a weekend in the fall for people who can't afford health care. I collect donations to buy food for the patients and prepare and serve it (along with a few other people) to over 1000 patients while they wait in long lines waiting for healthcare.
I enjoy working as a nurse and making a difference in other people's lives. I don't dwell on my illness and I try to live life to the fullest.
Life is just too short not to enjoy it!

Since i am usually the one helping other people, it is hard for me to ask for help myself. However, now the time has come that I need help. I have been traveling 5 1/2 - 6 hours away, every two weeks for treatments. Also, I go three times a week for pulmonary rehab and once a month to my local oncologist. The expenses are adding up.

The money raised through this site will be used for my lung transplant and other related medical expenses.

You may contact MCV hospital and talk with Laura, transplant coordinator at (804) [phone redacted] to find out this story is true.
If for any reason I do not use all the money, I will "pay it forward" and give it to another needy person. For anymore questions, you may contact me at (276) [phone redacted].
May God Bless You!
Regina