Susan Kline is a young woman suffering from Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (A1AD) and is in need of a life-saving double lung transplant. Susan was diagnosed July 2010 and has since learned it is a rare, hereditary disorder that can cause lung and/or liver disease. Those with lung disease suffer from COPD-type symptoms mainly the reduced ability to function at a normal pace without becoming very overworked and tired. It can affect people who have never smoked but for those who do/have smoke or have been around smoking / a chemical-type environment have a greater risk of dying from this disease.

This young woman has so much to offer. When she is able Susan helps her self-employed husband from their home office. But her true passion is helping others in their time of need. Since 1988, Susan has always worked within the medical field (nursing homes, EMS, Volunteer Fire Rescue). She also worked in the towing field for over 17 yrs. Susan still has dreams of continuing the hard work of towing and of being a foster caregiver for children in need of love and understanding in which she has a lot left to give. She also has two wonderful children of her own, one in high school and another who has blessed her with two wonderful grandchildren. She cherishes being a grandma and wants to continue to share her love of camping and all that goes with being in the great outdoors of Pure Michigan with her whole family as well as traveling and doing more things if given the chance to do so.

She was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI and spent years there working till she and her husband moved to the Plainwell, MI area to raise their own family in the wilderness of mother nature over 18 yrs ago. She has been so blessed to have been able to do what she has so far in life. She is working so very hard to be able to continue to further her hopes and dreams of getting involved in other things that she still has a strong desire to do. She has so much more ahead of her to deal with and is such a strong fighter. It’s been pretty hard for her this last year but she still puts on a smile and continues to fight this issue of COPD/ end stage Emphysema due to her Alpha-1. Each day is getting a little more hard for her but she carries on with hope, love, and faith.

This brings me to the purpose of this letter. At this point, her only chance for survival is a lung transplant. Susan has been evaluated extensively at University of Michigan Medical Center Hospital, and is considered a good candidate for a lung transplant and has been added to the waiting list as of March 25th 2013. Though this procedure is lifesaving, financing this surgery is a monumental task, a challenge Susan cannot meet without support. There are many pre- and post-transplant related expenses that are not covered by insurance such as the astronomically expensive immunosuppressant medications Susan will need to take for the rest of her life.

To assist her with these out-of-pocket expenses, a fundraising campaign in Susan’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a nonprofit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Great Lakes Lung Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider making a contribution.

With sincere gratitude,
The Kline Family