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Raffle in honor of Weirton transplant patient Pamela Poland |
| Weirton, W.Va,. Nov. 3, 2009 – Pamela Poland, 51, has a family history of liver disease and also suffers from portal hypertension and an enlarged spleen. She was first diagnosed with the disease after routine exams revealed a problem with her blood count. Doctors have told her a liver transplant is critical to her survival. |
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| Publish Date: 06:21PM 11/03/09 |
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Weirton, W.Va,. Nov. 3, 2009 – Pamela Poland, 51, has a family history of liver disease and also suffers from portal hypertension and an enlarged spleen. She was first diagnosed with the disease after routine exams revealed a problem with her blood count. Doctors have told her a liver transplant is critical to her survival.
A liver transplant costs approximately $500,000, and Poland’s health insurance will cover only a portion of the costs. In addition to the transplant expenses, she will need a lifetime of follow-up care and daily medications to prevent her body from rejecting the new liver. Post-transplant medications can cost as much as $5,000 a month, and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.
Poland’s declining health prevents her from working. Her husband, Paul, also is unable to work due to a back injury. He receives disability, but she is not covered under his policy. The couple must pay a significant monthly COBRA premium to maintain health coverage.
To overcome these financial challenges, Poland turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance. NFT is a nonprofit organization that helps transplant patients raise funds to pay for medical expenses.
Volunteers have been selling raffle tickets for a Yamaha Rhino (valued at $14,500) since July with all proceeds benefiting NFT in honor of Poland. The winning ticket will be announced during a reception Saturday, Nov. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Legends Café and More, 1900 Pennsylvania Ave. The winning ticket will match the numbers of the West Virginia Pick 4 Lottery. Light refreshments will be available, as well as a Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle.
For more information, please contact Debra Lorello at 304-748-6637 or pamela_poland@yahoo.com.
To make donations in honor of Poland, please visit www.transplants.org and click on “patients we help” to search for her. If you prefer to mail your contribution, please send your gift to the NFT West Virginia Liver Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Be sure to write “in honor of Pamela Poland” in the subject line.
About NFT
NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn. that has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fundraising expertise and advocacy to transplant patients by organizing fundraising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. In the past 26 years, NFT’s fundraising campaigns have generated nearly $56 million to assist patients.
NFT currently assists more than 800 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, please call 800-489-3863 or visit www.transplants.org.
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