My name is Steele Gould I live in Sugar City Idaho. I am employed at R.H.S in Idaho Falls, Idaho where I work as a Certified Peer Recovery Coach and Certified Peer Support Specialist. Assisting peers with substance abuse recovery and mental health recovery.
My career is very rewarding and satisfying as I can give back what I’ve learned in my lived experience with addiction and mental health recovery. By the grace of god and becoming very humble I will shortly have 12 years of continuous sobriety. I love recovery and wish to continue to assist others who want to change that way of life. However I continued to work 40 hours per week right up until 2 weeks before relocating to Salt Lake.
In February 2023 I was diagnosed with Emphysema, Fibrosis, COPD and Pulmonary Hypertension by Dr. Mark Dodson from Intermountain Health Care in Murray Utah.
He also informed me the only real solution to having a longer life which was getting shorter day by day was a lung transplant. He referred me to the University of Utah Lung Transplant team.
In the last 2 years I couldn’t physically make great memories by simply walking to see Christmas lights, Trick or Treat or even going to the park because it was so exhausting.
As I was on a very high l10 to 15 liter flow of oxygen just to be physically active. I desperately want to be able to do things with my family. I love the outdoors and couldn’t really get out any longer due to the restraints of the tanks. I have a bucket list of things I want to do that I took for granite before.
I met with the transplant team in June 2023. I had an initial assessment and was informed of what testing and vaccinations needed to be obtained to move forward.
In December all testing was completed and I relocated to Salt Lake on Jan. 8th to be placed on the transplant registry.
On Feb 8th I received a call from the transplant team stating they had found a donor to whom I am forever grateful for donating his lung to help save my life.
The transplant coordinator wanted me there at University of Utah in the next 45 minutes. The transplant was a success and was completed on the 9th of Feb.
As of today I am no longer able to bill for my services in Idaho due to being in Utah, my insurance will not cover my out of state medical expenses. I’m anxious about how to pay for not only my medical expenses, but the travel and lodging to access treatment and the long-term anti-rejection medication needed. It’s very stressful and worrisome as I should be focusing on my rehabilitation.
So friends and family inside and outside my circle and any other caring and empathetic good people who see this, I’m in dire need of donations to assist with medical expenses, so I can focus on getting well and returning to my family and my work.
For just a few short months until I’m back home in the work force being a productive member of society. So please give what you can as I would be forever grateful to all of you. If you can’t I understand that also. Please help.
Thank you,
Forever Grateful, Thankful and Humble,
Steele Gould
My family and friends are raising money for the nonprofit Help Hope Live in my honor, of Steele Gould, to fund uninsured medical expenses associated with transplantation.
I have chosen to fundraise for Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live assures fiscal accountability of funds raised and tax deductibility for contributors. Contributors can be sure donations will be used to pay or reimburse medical and related expenses. To make a tax-deductible donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.
For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.
Thank you for your support!
