Karen Roberts-Sare

Karen Roberts Sare, one of our dearest friends, has lived her life touching others with hope and care. Karen has developed a life-threatening lung disease, called Chronic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis which falls into the umbrella of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. This is progressively scarring her lungs into the texture of “wood.” Without a lung transplant, Karen will die, but Karen wants to live.

She has a Masters of Theology from Bethany Theological Seminary along with a Certificate of Completion of Training in Spiritual Direction from Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction. Compassionate, intelligent, deeply spiritual, loving and wise, for years Karen has helped to bring God’s light into people’s lives. She has raised two amazing sons and is thrilled to also be mother and grandmother to her blended family of 8 adult children and 6 grandchildren. Karen wants to continue God’s call to minister to others in this world, including the joy of being a grandmother, mother and wife.

Now there is hope that she is eligible for a lung transplant. But her medical bills are overwhelming: numerous tests at an Indianapolis hospital far from her home, medications, travel, overnight expenses, physical therapy, doctor visits… mounting to over $6,000 so far. Doctors suggest intensive respiratory rehabilitation to make her body strong enough to recuperate from a lung transplant surgery. The IU Methodist Medical Center staff recognize that she is on a timeline so Karen and Randy moved to Indianapolis just after Christmas day to start intensive therapy. If she gets a lung transplant, this amount would become astronomical. After a lifetime of helping others, she needs our help.

To help offset such expenses, a fundraising campaign in Karen’s honor has been established with Help Hope Live, 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 to the full extent allowed by law, are held by Help Hope Live in the Great Lakes Lung Transplant Fund, and are administered by Help Hope Live for transplant-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution, please click the DONATE NOW bar.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and generosity. Feel free to check Karen’s website at Help Hope Live for updates and for how to pray for her. We welcome your direct contribution. If you would like to host a fundraiser (rummage sale, art auction, etc.) let us know. The generosity of your donations, energy and time gives Karen hope.

Kimberly Koczan-Flory (215) 290-5685
Marcia Smith-Wood (219) 869-0351
Helen Beery (260)444-7337