My father, Tim Payne, is just 54-year-old but 10 years ago he was diagnosed with chronic heart failure (CHF). As his illness progressed it became apparent that he would need a pacemaker/defibrillator implanted to control any abnormal heart rhythms of his heart. However, his health continued to decline and, about eight months ago, Tim’s doctors told us he was in the end stage of heart failure. He was then admitted into University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to get an LVAD, a device that is considered a bridge to transplantation. He spent two months in the hospital and is now on the transplant waiting list for a new heart.
Tim is very outgoing so to see him down is heartbreaking. He loves to make people laugh; he’s always joking around. He can always find something positive even in the hardest of times. Tim is a Christian man who knows God will take care of him and his family. My parents have been married now for 18 years, they have seven kids total and four wonderful grandkids. He continues to work everyday but knows when he is blessed with this gift of life – his new heart – he will be required to take many months off to heal post-transplant.
Transplants are life-saving but financially draining. Even with insurance, not all of Tim’s medical expenses are covered and he must pay a significant amount out of pocket including travel to and from the center, co-pays, lab fees and the astronomical cost of post-transplant medications Tim will need to take for the rest of his life. This is a challenge he cannot face alone.
To help with the financial burden of Tim’s uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in his honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, 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, are held by HelpHOPELive in the South-Central Heart Transplant Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for transplant-related expenses only. Please consider a contribution.
For credit card contributions, please click the Donate Now button.
If we all work together we can make Tim’s prospects for the future much brighter. Keep an eye on the webpage because we will be planning fundraising events soon. Thank you for your prayers, support and generosity.
With sincere gratitude,
Amy Huffman (Tim’s daughter)
972-374-7336
