Fred Padgett

My husband Fred is 63 years old. We’ve been married 42 years, and three amazing daughters, one amazing granddaughter. He lived a very active life until a rare liver disease became a health challenge in 1999. This disease is a called Primary Sclerosing cholangitis or PSC. He has had two liver transplants 2004, 2014, and now needs a third one. This disease has no cure and can come back overtime.

We are raising money to assist with our 30 day stay near Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He has to be nearby for labs to make sure he doesn’t go into liver rejection. He did go into liver rejection 1 week out from the last transplant, He went back into the hospital to received more anti-rejection meds. This extended our stay nearby, and was very expensive. We need a fully furnished, first floor apt or hotel room for those 30 days. Fundraising also helps pay for gas to go back and forth to Dr. appts, co-pays, meds, medical bills, medical equipment not covered by insurance, Duke hospital estimates between between $4,000 – $5,000 for our 30 day stay, but grateful if we can raise more for all of the above.

He Is a kind man who loves doing anything for others if he can. He loves golfing, and is an avid airplane enthusiast. He loves working on cars. We love to go camping, and enjoy the outdoors, but that is on hold for now.

HIs illness has posed some challenges over the years. He has to eat a high calorie diet because the disease causes weight loss and muscle wasting. You need to stay above a certain weight to stay on the liver transplant. With the last transplant he had to be tube fed while he slept just to keep his weight to the minimum weight until transplant. He has a hard time getting good sleep. He has itching all over his body due to high bilirubin levels, which is what make him have yellowing of the eye and skin. He tires easily.

We’ve had help from many people over the years to help us get through two liver transplants. and we are so grateful. Please donate to Help Hope Live in Fred’s honor today, and ask your friends and family to give as well.

Let’s help Fred do the things he loves again, and being here with our family.

Thank you for your generous support.