I was diagnosed with Primary Bilirubin Cirrhosis after my mom passed away in 2005, and have been a non-responder to the only medication for this disease. I am a mother of four children — my two youngest boys are autistic. I also have a sister with Dandy-Walker syndrome, and when our father passed away in 2014, she moved in with us and my husband and I became her caregivers. Over the years, my condition has worsened and my doctors have determined that a liver transplant is now needed.

I am currently on the active transplant waiting list at UPMC in Pittsburgh. Even with insurance, I have been told I will have many uninsured, transplant-related expenses such as: co-pays and deductibles, continued doctor visits and the costly anti-rejection medications that I will need to take for the rest of my life. We are trying to raise money for these expenses, as well as to bring awareness to this disease and the process of liver transplantation.