34-Year-Old with Rare, Incurable Illness Finds Hope and Faith

Emily Progin, PR and Communications Coordinator

eprogin@helphopelive.org / 800.642.8399

Release: Immediate

34-YEAR-OLD WITH RARE, INCURABLE ILLNESS FINDS HOPE AND FAITH

Porscha Levy’s Community Is Rallying to Help Her Maintain Her Quality of Life

HOUSTON, TEXAS—34-year-old Porscha Levy has every reason to be negative about her future. She is living with the ultra-rare and progressive illness scleroderma, which scars her lungs and limits her capabilities. However, despite every obstacle and challenge, Porscha is choosing hope. To fuel and fund that choice, her community is rallying to help cover Porscha’s extensive medical expenses with support from the trusted nonprofit Help Hope Live.

Porscha was diagnosed with scleroderma four-and-a-half years ago. The diagnosis, which has no cure, impacts the connective tissue and vascular system. In Porscha’s case, scleroderma has resulted in scarred lungs that have caused pulmonary hypertension, extreme fatigue, body pains, and a failing heart.

To combat these life-threatening symptoms, Porscha uses a wheelchair and relies on supplemental oxygen and a 24/7 intravenous medical pump through which she receives a highly specific cocktail of medications every 48 hours. Porscha has been told she and her husband, Marshaun, will not be able to have children due to the severity of her illness.

Despite every setback, Porscha refuses to give up on her faith and her hope. Her wish is simple: to have enough mobility, stability, and independence to keep making beautiful memories with her loved ones as her disease progresses.

To ensure out-of-pocket medical expenses don’t hinder that wish, loved ones have turned to the nonprofit Help Hope Live for trusted medical fundraising. Donations can be made at: https://helphopelive.org/campaign/21178/

Porscha’s most immediate needs include a second oxygen concentrator for more freedom around the house and a dependable vehicle to transport Porscha and her medical supplies so she can engage with the community more fully.

Fundraising is also helping Porscha to ensure that financial burdens don’t become a barrier to her spending quality time with her husband. “Marshaun carries a heavy load as my primary caregiver,” she explained. “He’s my superhero, but he is still human, and he needs breaks he can’t get within our current financial situation.”

Unlike a GoFundMe campaign, donations to Help Hope Live are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.

Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $172 million to pay patient expenses. ###