Transplant Type - Heart

Earlier this year, Brooke began experiencing a nagging cough and stomach pains. Then, during a meeting in April, she became short of breath. She went to see her doctor, who ordered a CT scan. After the test, she was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. While in the hospital, she went into cardiac arrest and was eventually diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Doctors told Brooke a heart transplant was her only hope for a second chance at life.

Thankfully, she received her lifesaving transplant in May and is recovering well. Brooke looks forward to returning to her normal, active lifestyle and enjoying her favorite activities of exercising, biking, attending sorority events as an alum, reading and playing with her dog, Myah. Just three weeks before her diagnosis, Brooke bought her first house, and she is anxious to move forward with her life and make her house a home.

Brooke always goes out of her way to help others and tries to be a positive influence for the people around her. She is thankful for the strong, unwavering support from her friends and family during this challenging time. As a fundraising coordinator for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, she is used to raising funds to help others. But now Brooke is asking for your help.

A heart transplant costs approximately $675,000. And that's only the beginning. Even with health insurance, Brooke faces significant medical expenses. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The post-transplant medications can cost as much as $2,000 to $5,000 per month--and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

You can help.
To make a donation to NFT in honor of Brooke, click the link below her photo. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Virginia Heart Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Please be sure to write "in honor of Brooke Briggs" on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Sentara Norfolk General Hospital