David Simpson

HELP DAVID GET BILATERAL LUNG TRANSPLANT

In December 2018, David was producing a show on the beach in the Bahamas with Damian Marley. He began coughing uncontrollably and ended up in the ER. While treating him, the doctor noticed the shape of David’s fingernails and asked if he knew he had a lung disease. Obviously this was a shocking statement! When he got home, he went to his doctor who said he had pulmonary fibrosis and needed a specialist. Fast forward 6 months and David was receiving a lung biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue blocks the lungs’ ability to deliver oxygen to the blood making it difficult for your lungs to work properly. The more scarring, the more difficult to breathe. The scarring with pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by a multitude of factors. In most cases, doctors can’t pinpoint what’s causing the problem. When a cause can’t be found, the condition is termed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The lung damage caused by pulmonary fibrosis can’t be repaired, but medications and therapies can help slow its progress while easing symptoms and improving quality of life. David was considered stable and in maintenance mode until January 2021 when he got COVID 19 and double pneumonia. This caused more scar tissue to form leading him to the need for a bilateral lung transplant.

David has recently completed the two-week evaluation to get on the lung transplant list. Once on the list, we will be “on call” waiting for an appropriate donor of both lungs. We will have to live in Jacksonville, FL close to Mayo Clinic for 4 months. All donations will be used for bills not covered by insurance, temporary housing for the 4 months we will be away from home and other out of pocket expenses associated with medications and post care.

Many have asked how they can help so we have chosen to fundraise through Help Hope Live. We have chosen this organization in part because they assure 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 David’s fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.

Thank you for your support!