Tualatin man gets lung transplant after COVID infection; community rallies to help

Steven Whitaker

53-year-old Steven Whitaker was healthy and active – until COVID-19 hit. He was hospitalized multiple times before being diagnosed with not just COVID but also a staph infection and bacterial pneumonia. He has not been home from the hospital since February 2022.

On August 13, he received a life-changing lung transplant.

As his multi-diagnosis recovery continues, Steven’s loved ones have turned to Help Hope Live for trusted medical fundraising:

While Whitaker has insurance from his decades working at UPS, his relocation and housing pre- and post-transplant are not covered. He will need to live near Stanford for three to four months after the procedure and will have to pay for caregivers while he recovers.