“Why Are You Still Fundraising After Transplant?”

Watch Recording:

Hope Talk Details

Medical bills and expenses do not end for transplant patients once their transplant procedure is complete.

Fundraising post-transplant can be challenging because it’s not widely known how expensive antirejection medications, follow-up visits, and preventative care can be.

Struggling to explain to your community why you still need to fundraise after a transplant? You’re not alone!

Join us on Thursday, May 16 at 3 p.m. ET for a conversation with three client Ambassadors: heart transplant recipient Linda Jara, heart transplant recipient Pat McEntee, and double lung transplant recipient Rachelle Ledbetter, joined by Client Services Coordinator Melanie Johnson.

All three Ambassadors will share their experiences fundraising pre-transplant and post-transplant, while Melanie will provide insights on how she has assisted her clients with fundraising during all phases of transplant.

This group will talk about everything from how their community initially responded to their fundraising efforts to finding the right resources to fundraising creatively post-transplant. We will discuss which strategies work throughout both phases of the transplant fundraising journey.

About Our Panelists

Linda Jara – A Help Hope Live heart transplant client and Ambassador, Linda received a heart transplant in September 2016 at Temple University Hospital after being diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Linda was dependent on an LVAD for 18 months before her transplant. Today, Linda is thriving while maintaining her health and giving back to Help Hope Live.

Pat McEntee – A Help Hope Live heart transplant client and Ambassador, Pat received his heart transplant in 2017 at the Cleveland Clinic after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He enjoys giving back to Help Hope Live and sharing his experience in the hopes of helping others who may be traveling a similar path.

Rachelle Ledbetter– Help Hope Live double lung transplant client and Ambassador Rachelle received her lungs in May 2021 at University of California Los Angeles. Rachelle was listed for over four years. Rachelle has an amazing outlook on life and loves giving back to the transplant community.

Melanie Johnson – Help Hope Live PR & Client Services Coordinator Melanie has been working at Help Hope Live since 2018. She loves assisting her clients with accessing the ideas, tools, and support they need to be as successful as possible in their fundraising efforts. She has plenty of advice to share based on her experience working with a variety of clients, including many transplant recipients continuing to reach out to their community for support for post-transplant expenses.