Transplant Type - Lung

We are so happy to report that Loretta received her lifesaving transplant in January 2010!

Loretta began feeling ill in 1997, but it took years for doctors to discover what was wrong. In 2005, she was diagnosed with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, which causes abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Doctors told her a double-lung transplant was her only hope for survival.

Loretta, a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, hopes her transplant will allow her to once again enjoy things such as taking long walks, traveling with her friends and family, and volunteering at her church. She looks forward to walking up the stairs in her home without depending on an oxygen tank.

A double-lung transplant costs approximately $650,000. And that's only the beginning. Even with health insurance, Loretta faces significant medical expenses. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The cost of post-transplant medications can range from $2,000 to $5,000 per month--and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

Although Loretta worked for years as a clinical technician, she is no longer able to work due to her declining health, adding to her financial strain. Because she must relocate to be near her transplant center at Cleveland Clinic for at least two months after the transplant, she will also incur substantial expenses for travel, food and lodging.

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

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Cleveland Clinic