William Lilly

Fred Lilly

Transplant Type: Double Lung

Fred Lilly has a new lease on life. In 2016, after a year of struggling to breathe, he was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). His diagnosis was very difficult, as the doctor told him he only had six months to live and was too old for a lung transplant. Thankfully, Fred and his family were able to get a second opinion, and after undergoing a series of medical tests, he was placed on the list for a transplant. Fred received a double-lung transplant on July 31, 2019!

During such a difficult time, Fred is thankful for the love and support of his wife of 35 years, Joyce, and their family and friends. Fred and Joyce have three children and four grandchildren, and Fred’s illness has caused them a lot of worry. Fred has always been an active husband, father, and grandfather, so having his health decline was very difficult. Fred’s prayer since he became ill is that he will be able to see his grandchildren graduate from high school. He’s been able to see one reach the milestone so far, and that gives him a lot of hope for the future.

Recovering from a double lung transplant is a long and difficult process. Fred spent several weeks in the hospital post-transplant, and endured a lot of pain and discomfort. He fought hard to be able to get up from the hospital bed and walk—and even surprised the hospital staff by his determination and quick progress. Fred still has recovering to do, but he is already looking forward to the day he can return home and resume life with his family.

Once Fred is back home, he wants to return to church so he can be a witness for the Lord and thank Him for the miracle of life. He looks forward to being able to work on cars again, attend his grandchildren’s activities, and no longer have to fight for each breath or carry around oxygen. More than anything, he’s looking forward to being healthy and returning to the beach with his wife for a long walk in the sand. Fred is so thankful for his donor and their family for giving him a second chance at life.

The average double-lung transplant costs more than $1 million, and that’s only the beginning. Even with health insurance, which covered a portion of the transplant costs, he faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of his life, he needs 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.Fred lives 185 miles from his transplant center, and traveling back and forth for appointments is expensive. He and Joyce have had to temporarily relocate for at least four months to be nearby the transplant center while he recovers, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food, and lodging.

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to NFT in honor of Fred. If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to National Foundation for Transplants, 3249 W. Sarazen’s Circle, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38125. Please be sure to write "in honor of Fred Lilly” on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: University of Virginia