Amy Johnson

Three years ago, after a long shift at the hospital, I awoke suddenly with shortness of breath and chest pain. I was rushed to the hospital and after a lung biopsy, blood work, an MRI, and many more tests, I was finally diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). IPF makes it difficult for oxygen to pass into my blood stream and hardens the lungs, causing shortness of breath. The scarring in my lungs cannot be reversed, and currently there is no treatment for it.
I was given 3 to 5 years to live and now, my only hope of survival is a life-saving double lung transplant. After being hospitalized several times for pneumonia, lung infections, and shortness of breath, I have been rendered physically disabled. Until I am transplanted, I have to be on oxygen 24/7 and continuous breathing treatments.
Despite this obstacle, I refuse to give up! With my faith, the support of my husband, three wonderful sons, and loving daughter-in-law, this is a journey I will embark upon and I will fight with all I have in me. I want to be there to see my children grow up, and meet my eventual grandchildren. I want to continue to be there when they need their mom! I want to grow old with my husband and have 25 more years of marriage. I have so much to live for, and will never give up on ‘My Miracle.’ I have been evaluated at Cleveland Clinic and am now a candidate for a double lung transplant. Through the gift of transplantation, I hope to be given the chance to continue being a mommy and wife.
Transplantation is life-saving, but very expensive. Financing this procedure is a monumental task—a challenge me and my family cannot meet without your support. There are many pre-and post- transplant related expenses that are not covered by insurance, including co-pays, deductibles, travel to and from the transplant center, and the costly anti-rejection medications I will have to take for the rest of my life.

To help with these uninsured expenses, a fundraising campaign in Amy’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. Your financial gifts as well as you prayers are greatly appreciated and will help me and my family through this difficult time.

Thank you and God Bless,
Amy Johnson
614-579-2947 / [email protected]