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Linda Katie Herrin Kelley is a 64-year-old woman of Tallahassee, Florida who is very ill. Linda Katie has stage four cirrhosis of the liver. Being too ill to work since November 2016, she is now on Social Security Disability.
University of Florida Shands Hospital in Gainesville is taking wonderful care of her. She has been successfully treated tor hepatitis C and her liver cancer is in remission for now. Despite this, her only chance of continued survival is a liver transplant, the cost of which is overwhelming!
Linda Katie grew up in Tallahassee, FL and went to Leon High School. She worked at the Florida Department of Revenue for twenty-seven years, has 2 beautiful daughters, and 5 lovely grandchildren. She looks forward to once again cooking large family meals and spending lots of quality time with her granddaughter and 4 grandsons.
Family and friends know her as Linda Herrin, former co-workers know her as Katie Kelley. By whatever name, she is my sweet sister, a woman who has worked very hard all her life to take care of herself and her family. Linda Katie is by far one of the most generous people you will ever meet, always sharing whatever she has with her neighbors and their children. But now, she needs your help and in a big way.
Transplantation is life-saving, but it comes with tremendous out-of-pocket costs. Leading up to the transplant, she is responsible for travel, lodging, co-pays, and medications. Now that she is retired, her health insurance premiums are $700.00 per month and she can’t seek a less expensive policy because her transplant has been pre-approved by the existing insurance company.
After she receives the gift of life, the major expenses will come in. These costs will include several weeks of hospitalization, followed by 24/7 care in her home for several months, and frequent trips to Gainesville for follow-up appointments. She will also need to take upwards of 50 pills a day to keep her body from rejecting her new liver. As you can imagine, Linda Katie and our family now face a challenge we cannot meet alone.
To help with the financial burden of Linda Katie’s uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in her 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 allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Southeast Liver Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.
We were recently informed by Shands that we must have $10, 000 in the fund to cover aftercare before Linda Katie can receive her liver transplant.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and generosity. One last thing, if anyone would like to volunteer to help with the fundraising events, I sure would appreciate it!
Sincerely,
Betty Lahtinen
So, Linda Katie is doing fairly well so far. Her cancer has not returned. We have frequent trips to Shands in Gainesville as well as many appointments here in Talkahassee. She is also on many medications in order to keep her condition stable. So, there are many ongoing medical expenses as well as needed funds for after the transplant.
Response for pleas for donations have been few. We really, really need your help! Please donate today!
Our Applebee's Flapjack Fundraiser was a success! Thank you to everyone who participated! Including the staff who were wonderfully helpful. Hoping to soon have Fundraiser dinners at Sonny's BBQ as well as bake sales around Tallahassee.
At this time, we are accepting donations for a garage sale in Linda Katie's behalf. If you've got things you need to get rid of, please give me a call at 850 445 4380 for Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, and Gadsden counties in Florida. Thank you very much! Betty
Linda Katie is hanging in there. She has good days and bad days. She spends a lot of her good days fundraising. She recently retired due to her health and that has caused her health insurance premiums to go sky high. So bills are piling up even before the transplant. We go back to Shands in Gainesville at the end of the month. We are hoping to hear her cancer has shrunk from the last treatment. Meanwhile we're trying to sell tickets for a pancake breakfast at Applebee's on July 8. If you're interested in buying or selling, give me a call! Love, Betty 850 445 4380
Katie still has good days and bad but she's hanging in there. She goes back to Shands in June to see how well the cancer treatment worked. We've been a little slow getting geared up with fundraisers but we 're about to take off. Keep watching Linda Katie's page, we've got lots coming up! Pancake breakfast,bake sales, car washes...but we need volunteers of all ages to help us so please contact me ASAP at 850-445-4380 or on messenger. Betty Lahtinen
Thank you very much, Notary Public Underwriters!
Betty Lahtinen
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Notary Public Underwriters
Thank you both so much, Theresa and Lee. We appreciate your support! You can also contact Linda Katie on Facebook. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Just search for Katie Kelley. Love, Betty Lahtinen, Katie's sister.
Betty Lahtinen
Hey This is Theresa your cousin in Georgia i will be sending you a Donation to help you we love you are sending many prayers your way from the Hunnicutt's love ya lots sweetie... God will lead you Through.
Theresa hunnicutt
I love you and will do everything I am able. Sharing this post to alot of Leon connections. Lets see what's real sister girl.
Lee Ackermann
Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live
Note in memo:
In honor of Linda Katie Herrin Kelley
Mail to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Donor preference is important to us. Please specify in writing if you wish for your name or donation amount to be kept private.
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