Steven Jones

Steven Jones

Transplant Type:  Liver

What if you had the opportunity to save a life?

Steven Jones is fighting for his life. In January 2020, he went to the local ER with flu-like symptoms.  His flu test came back negative, but concerning nodules on his liver were found, during a CAT scan. He was referred to a specialist and was eventually diagnosed with an extremely rare hereditary condition known as alpha one antitrypsin deficiency.  This condition caused Steven to develop cirrhosis of the liver, and now doctors say a liver transplant is critical to his survival.

During such a challenging time, Steven is thankful for his wife, Rhonda, their six children, fifteen grandchildren, his mother, siblings, and friends, who have been by his side every step of the way. He wishes they didn’t have to be so concerned about his health, but he is grateful for their love and support. He is a long time resident of Calvin, Oklahoma. He spent over 20 years as a volunteer fireman and some time as a law enforcement officer. He was usually the person helping with fundraising for the people and organizations that were in need of help. Now he is the one in need. Before his health began to decline, he enjoyed camping, hosting cookouts, hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family, but these days, his activities are quite limited, due to fatigue and illness. Steven looks forward to the transplant that will allow him to live his life with as few limitations as possible, and to spend many more years making memories with his loved ones, but right now, he needs your help.

Unfortunately, Steven’ hope for a new life comes at a very high price.  The average liver transplant costs approximately $878,000. 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.

Steven lives more than 100 miles from the transplant center, and he incurs substantial expenses each time he visits for evaluations and doctors’ appointments. When he receives his transplant, Steven and his caregiver will need to stay near the hospital, during recovery, adding to the financial strain.

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to NFT in honor of Steven. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Oklahoma Transplant Fund, 3249 W. Sarazen’s Circle, Ste 100, Memphis, TN 38125. Please be sure to write "in honor of Steven Jones” in the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Transplant Center:  Florida Hospital Medical Center