Matthew Lister

Hi There! Let me introduce you to my brother, Matt; or as I called him growing up, Matty. Matt is one of my heroes. Growing up I wanted to be just like him. He was so funny, playful and kind. I actually ended up following in his footsteps in the same sports; cross country, track and basketball. Unlike my brother, this bench riding B team basketball player didn’t amount to much. Matt was very talented; he set records and even received scholarships to college in both running and basketball.

After college he had a few employers, but in 2003 he and and his business partner, established a Financial and Estate Planning firm. He worked until he became so ill and could no longer work.

In 2018, Matt’s liver began to cause issues for him and in March, 2019 he was given his liver diagnosis and began treatment. For the past 4 ½ years, Matt has been faithful to his treatment plan following what the doctors asked of him. 2023 hasn’t been good to him, he has been in and out of the hospital a lot and his health continues to decline; his liver is failing him. There are so many “side effects” to a failing liver and unfortunately, Matt has been hit with most of them. The only way Matt can get better is a new liver. As many know, being on a transplant list doesn’t guarantee an organ, just the potential for receiving one.

Enter me, his sis. Obviously. I love my brother so much and I began doing research on how we can get him to feel better. Then, it dawned on me THE LIVER GROWS BACK! I began looking into what would need to happen in order to donate my liver to him. So I began to walk through those steps. In September, 2023 it was determined I was a match for my brother. By the end of September, I was deemed healthy to donate part of my liver. We were given the surgery date and were excited to know that by the end of 2023, Matt will end it with a new liver! We are SO EXCITED!!!

Matt has insurance, but as we all know; it doesn’t cover everything he needs. Matt is a single dad and hasn’t been able to work due to his illness; so there isn’t much to fall back on. We are leaning into our communities and asking for help. Will you help us raise $10,000 to cover the expenses that occur with surgeries like these?

(Entering stage left is Matt)

Friends and family, please allow me to interject for a moment:
Janelle truly is the hero; not only here, but also in most, if not all of that which she is involved. All of us have been touched by the Light that she exudes through her faithful daily walk through ALL things life can bring. I have admired her for so many years. She is an amazing Godly woman. My jaw droppeth.
Additionally, our request for assistance is also due to the costs not covered for Janelle and her family. My insurance will only pay for certain things and I am not legally permitted to provided any financial assistance to “allure” an individual into becoming a living donor. We want to be certain that the income loss incurred and cost of care for her children do not become a financial burden. As Janelle has commited to a life in Ministry, any support you may provide would be immensely appreciated. I love that girl! Each time I think of her, I literally smile. I am certain, I am not alone. Thank you all for loving out loud.

We are excited that Help Hope Live has agreed to help us launch a fundraising campaign. Since it is a registered 501c3 company, all donations are tax deductible. What a great way to give your year-end gifts; helping save a life.

Help Hope Live assures 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 this fundraising campaign, click on the Give button.

For more information, please contact Help Hope Live at 800.642.8399.

Thank you for your support!