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Melvin Needs Our Help!
Melvin Willman is a 66-year-old man who is very ill. He has a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and a lung transplant is his only hope. Melvin is a very kind man with a wonderful sense of humor that brightens the day of everyone he meets. Now he needs the help of our family, friends, and greater community as the costs associated with transplantation can be overwhelming.
Melvin grew up in Evansville, IN. After getting out of the Army, he went to work at a factory called Moll Tool and Plastics where we first met. This September, we will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. We are the proud parents of two wonderful children, Rhianon and Casey. We have also been blessed with 2 grandchildren and another one is on the way. Melvin is looking forward to meeting our new grandson and taking all of our grandkids fishing. Together, Melvin and our family are committed to seeing him through this transplant.
As a hard-working man, Melvin worked at the Railroad for over 35 years to support our family. Melvin was able to retire at the age of 60, but really missed talking with others and telling them jokes. He went to work part-time delivering flowers until this was no longer possible due to his lung disease. According to Melvin, delivering flowers was the best job he ever had. Through the “gift of life”, Melvin looks forward to resuming the active lifestyle that he loves and misses.
Although life-saving, transplants can drain a lifetime of hard-earned savings. Even with insurance, sizable out-of-pocket expenses include medications, lodging, and traveling expenses, most notably airfare to avoid relocation until a lung becomes available. He also has a blockage that will have to be dealt with at the time of the transplant. This presents a challenge that Melvin and our family cannot meet alone.
To help with the financial burden of uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in Melvin’s honor has been established with Help Hope Live, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Great Lakes Lung Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.
For credit card contributions, please select the “Donate Now” button or call 800.642.8399. Or:
Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live
Note in memo section:
In honor of Melvin Willman
Please send to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
100 Matsonford Road, Suite 100
Radnor, PA 19087
On behalf of Melvin and our family, thank you for your prayers, support and generosity. Keep an eye on this campaign page because we will be planning some fundraising events soon and posting updates regularly.
Gratefully,
Mary Willman, Melvin’s wife
Updates (16)
June 7, 2019
HI all.
It has been a long while since I’ve given an update on Mel but we have been busy living. Which is fantastic. He recently had a visit to Cleveland and they discovered that he is having rejection again. They are assuring us that they can control this with medicine. Hopefully they can. But God has provided us with more time together and that is what counts. God bless all!
December 24, 2018
It has been awhile since I have posted anything about Melvin but he is doing awesome. It has been a year and a half since his lung transplant. He is doing rehab three days a week and has a part time job delivering flowers. He is enjoying his life once again.
May 9, 2018
Would like to share with everyone that Melvin has reached his year mark on May 8th of receiving his lung transplant. It has been an up and down year but the outcome has been fantastic. Thanks to all that have contributed to him in any way shape or form.
December 11, 2017
Hi all, Would like to give an update on Melvin. Ever since he has had the lung transplant he has had a rejection. The doctors have decided to put him back in the hospital to give him an IV of some sort to help get rid of these rejections. I’m hoping and praying that this time it works. They have tried numerous kinds of IVs but nothing seems to help. Prayers are appreciated.
July 27, 2017
The fundraiser came and gone. It was a big success. Lots of people, food, fun and darts. Raised some money to help with Mels expenses. Thanks to all that donated time, talent, monies and food to make it a great day.
July 27, 2017
Hi All, It’s been awhile since I’ve given an update but it’s been pretty crazy. He had a bronchoscopy when we went back to Cleveland the first of July an they ended up putting him back in the hospital for more IVs. He was finally released from the hospital and we were allowed to come home again. But before we could get out of Cleveland they called and said he had a bacteria growing so more meds were called in. Hopefully when we go back in a few weeks all will be good.
July 2, 2017
Good news. All of the tests Mel went through this past week came back with good results. So he has been able to go home for a bit. Will have to go back in a week and finish up on some tests that were postponed for some reason. That’s ok because it gave him a break and little different scenery. He will definitely be able to attend his fundraiser for a little while. Looking forward to seeing everyone that he hasn’t seen in awhile.
June 16, 2017
Mel was released from the hospital a few hours ago. All is going well except for the 14 more days of IVs but hopefully this will be the last of them for a long while.
June 14, 2017
Sorry to say Mel had to be ready admitted to the hospital today. He has a minor complication that cannot be taken care of with oral antibiotics. They will have to administer IVs instead. Hopefully the stay won’t be long and this will be his last for a long time. It is good to see all the staff again but wished it was under different circumstances.
June 8, 2017
Melvin is doing good at this point. Some of his medications have been lowered and some are more. He has been doing a lot of hall walking and exercising to help him get his strength back. He is very grateful for all the cards he has been receiving. God bless all!
June 3, 2017
Melvin has been discharged from the hospital or as they call it step down. He is doing very well. He went for his 3 week after surgery bronch. today. They will repeat this in another three weeks and if all goes well he could be going home home instead of his temporary home.
May 25, 2017
Melvin is still in step down but he is making great progress. He is getting his appetite back, taking walks in the hall and attending training sessions so he can maybe be released by the beginning of next week. He would have to remain in Cleveland for a few weeks after to attend rehab and be close to the hospital.
May 17, 2017
Melvin was moved to the Step Down unit on May 16th. Yah!!!!!!!! Everyone in the ICU was great but it is time to move on. He is now in a private room where he can get a good nights sleep. He will be working with the respiratory therapist and others closely to help him get his strength back and on the road to a good recovery.
May 10, 2017
On May 8th, 2017 Melvin was blessed with a new lung. He received the call from Cleveland Transplant Center on May 7th that they had found a match for him. He is now recovering in ICU for a couple of more days until he is stable. He will then be moved to what they call the step down unit. I will keep updates coming in as they happen. Just want to add don’t ever give up because God is good and takes care of all of us.
May 5, 2017
May 05, 2017
All tests are done and back home for now. Now all we are doing is waiting for a phone call for us to go back for a successful transplant.
May 2, 2017
Tomorrow we will be heading to Cleveland for a few more routine tests. Also want to find out his allocation score and where it puts him on the transplant list.
Guestbook
April 24, 2017
God is good! We are praying for this lung transplant. We love you Uncle Melvin! Love Brian and Carrie Ochs
Carrie Ochs
Mail a Check
Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live
Note in memo:
In honor of Melvin J Willman
Mail to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087
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