Zanetta Smith
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
National Foundation for Transplants, Inc.$6,216
raised by 79 people
$15,000 goal
5 years left
Update #3
I was moved to Blake 6, to start my recovery. It was going great. I was up and walking the first day I was awake. I was determined to get out of there and finish my recovery at home. Only one thing was stopping me. I had a "sleepy colon". It was very painful. It took days for it to resolve itself. Finally a day after my last chest tube was removed, my colon woke up. I came home just 16 after my transplant, on August 14th. My son Joe, stayed the the hotel across the street, the entire first week, so he'd be in walking distance to me. He came to visit every single day. The second week, he went back home, to work, as he'd just started his new job 3 months ago. When he was finished working, he took a train back, to be with me again. Unfortunately, it took a large sum of money out of his pocket. He spent $4,000 on a room and $100 on keeping my car at the hospital. When all is said and done, and he gets reimbursed, the fundraiser will be down quite a bit. He is waiting to hear how much percentage, they will actually reimburse, but we know it won't be what he put in.
I am home and recovering well. A lot of the numbness is starting to wear off, so it's getting pretty painful. I still have and will always have to return to Boston, to have check ups, X-rays, blood work, to make sure my medicine levels are correct and breathing tests, to make sure my new lungs are working properly and not being rejected. Some of those days, we will be staying at a hotel, as some of the appointments will be super early in the morning.
Thank you to those that have donated, and to those who have also shared. I can't wait to be healed and to move onto the next phase. Which will hopefully be going back to work.
Zanetta Smith
Transplant Type: Double Lung
What if you were living on borrowed time?
Zanetta Smith is fighting for her life. In 2009, she was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Unfortunately, she is all too familiar with the impacts of COPD, as her mother lost her battle with the illness. Now, Zanetta’s condition has begun to worsen, and doctors say a double lung transplant is critical to her survival. While awaiting her transplant, she relies on an oxygen tank for every breath.
This has been a difficult time for Zanetta, as she’s used to being much more independent and active. Before her health began to decline, she enjoyed riding horses, walking her dogs, working and spending time with her children, but these days her activities are quite limited. She looks forward to feeling like her old self again, and more than anything, she wants to spend many more years with her children and see her grandchildren be born one day, and she would love to go back to work, but right now, she needs your help.
Unfortunately, Zanetta’s hope for a new life comes at a very high price.
The average double lung transplant costs more than $1 million. Which insurance will cover most of. But, even with insurance, which will cover the cost of the transplant, she still faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications, which are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.
Zanetta must travel more than two hours to reach her transplant center for evaluations and doctors’ appointments. When she receives her transplant, Zanetta and her caregiver will need to stay near the hospital during recovery, incurring substantial expenses for travel, food and lodging, adding to the financial strain.
You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to the National Foundation for Transplants in honor of Zanetta.
If you'd prefer to send your gift by mail, please send it to the NFT Maine Transplant Fund, 3249 W. Sarazen’s Circle, Suite 100, Memphis, TN 38125. Please be sure to write "in honor of Zanetta Smith” in the memo line.
Thank you for your generosity!
Transplant Center: Massachusetts General Hospital