Keith Phillips

Keith Phillips

Transplant Type: Double Lung

Update: Keith received a transplant on January 15, 2020!

Local 33 News WVLA: "Zachary Family Praying for a Holiday Miracle"

Keith Phillips is awaiting a new lease on life. In January of 2019, he went to a pulmonologist after experiencing shortness of breath. A lung biopsy a few months later showed fast progressing pulmonary fibrosis. Lung disease is something he is all too familiar with—his father died of the same disease just nine months after being diagnosed. His grandmother and aunt died from pulmonary fibrosis as well. For Keith and his family, having yet another diagnosis in the family is devastating. Doctors say a double-lung transplant is his only chance for survival. 

During this difficult time, Keith is thankful for the love and support of his wife, Amy, and their family and friends. Keith and Amy have three children, Carter, Caroline, and Casyn, who range in age from 10 to 17. Keith’s illness is progressing so quickly that it is now difficult to attend school activities and be the active husband and father he longs to be. He looks forward to receiving a transplant that will save his life and give him more years with his family.

Keith is a program manager for the LA Department of Health, where he has overseen the state’s emergency preparedness through numerous hurricanes and floods. An Army veteran, he also served as a volunteer firefighter in his community and is an active member of First Baptist Church of Zachary. He loves hunting, fishing, and family vacations.

He saw his father’s life be cut short as a result of lung disease and knows firsthand how devastating it is for the family left behind. Keith wants nothing more than to receive a transplant so he can be there to watch his children grow up and make a lifetime of memories with his family. Family and friends have always been able to count on Keith to be there when needed, but now he is the one who needs help.

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

Keith’s transplant center is more than 1,100 miles away from his home, and traveling for appointments is expensive. When he receives his transplant, he and a caregiver will have to temporarily relocate to be nearby, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging. Keith’s wife and his two sisters will take turns being in Cleveland with him and taking care of his three children back home. Keith is still working, although it is becoming difficult. When he receives his transplant, he will be off work for an extended time, further adding to his financial burdens.

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

Thank you for your generosity!

Transplant Center: Cleveland Clinic