Breathing is something most of us take for granted. But, when your lungs do not provide the air you need, you quickly become aware of the importance of your lungs in your ability to live and move. Our dad, Bob Gulish, was quickly losing lung capacity after being diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis three years ago. At his worst, Bob was on full time oxygen with limited mobility. Even on his best days, it was increasingly difficult for him to complete daily activities, like getting dressed, taking a shower, or even walking from one room to another. At the end of 2011, It was clear that dad’s only chance for survival was lung transplantation.
In March 2012, we were blessed and overwhelmed by the fact that dad received the greatest gift: a double lung transplant. This brings us to the purpose of our letter. While organ transplantation is life-saving, it is also very expensive. Thankfully, Dad’s insurance will covered most of his surgery, but the costs do not end there. He and Mom have many ongoing expenses that their insurance does not cover completely, like the immune suppressant medications that Dad will have to take for the rest of his life. To help ease the financial burden, the UPMC Simmons Center Transplant Team has recommended fundraising.
To offset some of these expenses, a fundraising campaign in Dad’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive (formerly NTAF), a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for nearly 30 years. All donations are tax deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Mid-Atlantic Lung Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making an end-of-year tax deductible donation in his honor.Your financial gifts will be greatly appreciated and will help our parents make it through this difficult time.

With Sincere Gratitude,
Bob, Allyson, Brandon, Sarah, and Chad
(Bob and Tina Gulish’s children)
724.462.5337 (Allyson)
sarahgulish@gmail.com