Diana Foley

Diana Foley, NBCR-Certified Reflexologist

Transplant Type: Heart

Update: Diana received a heart transplant on February 18, 2020!

Diana Foley is fighting for her life. Nineteen years ago, she was diagnosed with a number of heart issues, including Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Idiopathic Cardiomyopathy. Over time, her condition has worsened, and she now faces Advanced Heart Failure. Her illness cannot be controlled by medication, and it leaves her tired and takes a toll on her quality of life. Doctors say a heart transplant is critical to her survival. Diana had a balloon pump inserted on January 22, 2020, was blessed with her new heart on February 18, 2020 and was in CVICU for a total of 37 days.

During this difficult time, Diana is grateful for the love and support of her husband, Derek, and their family and friends. Diana and Derek have a son who serves in the USAF and has been stationed internationally for the past three years. They also have three grandchildren who range in age from 10 to 20. Diana’s illness has limited her ability to travel to visit her son and grandchildren, and when she is able to visit them, her condition limits her physical activity. Diana looks forward to receiving a transplant that will improve her quality of life and give her more years with her family. She enjoys spending time with her family, ballroom dancing, gardening, hiking, traveling, and writing, but her health prevents most of those activities now. She wants nothing more than to be healthy again so she will feel better and be able to take part in activities with her grandchildren. But right now she needs your help.

The average heart transplant costs more than $1 million, and that’s only the beginning. Even with insurance, which will cover a portion of the transplant costs, she still faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very expensive, and they’re as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

Diana lives 105 miles from her transplant center, but due to traffic and road conditions, it can take up to four hours to get there.   Her Transplant Team requires that she temporarily relocate to be nearby while she recovers, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging. There will be many trips to the hospital and subsequent expenses over the next year for follow-up biopsies ( to monitor the new heart for any potential rejection).   Diana’s health forced her to stop working in her beloved profession as a Nationally Board Certified Reflexologist, further adding to her financial burdens.

To put this in perspective, just two weeks post-transplant:  First months' medications were $300 over what insurance covered and lodging alone has already reached $5,500.

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to NFT in honor of Diana. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Texas Transplant Fund, 3249 W. Sarazens Circle, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38125. Please be sure to write "in honor of Diana Foley.”

Transplant Center: Methodist Advanced Heart Failure Clinic