Patrick J Donnelly

Patrick Donnelly 

Transplant Type: Lung 

Update: July 2021

It is now July of 2021. I cannot believe that it has been 1 year and 5 months from my transplant. So far, I am doing well, but my last checkup showed a small spot of rejection in my lungs. They have added a new medication and I have to go back in August to do another checkup.

Each checkup lasts about 5 days for me. I travel back to Pittsburgh on Sunday of that week. Monday and Tuesday are tests and meet with doctors. Wednesday is a bronchoscopy where the snake a camera into my lungs to look at the interior of my lungs. They take some samples to test to make sure nothing bad is growing in there. I had just started checkups every 4 months before they found the spot of rejection, so I am back to 3-month checkups again.

So, I have to stay in a hotel for 5 nights and eat for those 6 days (including the trip home on Friday). With all the expenses, my funds have drastically dwindled at this time. I have handled my last trip in May and can handle the coming trip in August, but after that it will become financially difficult to make these necessary checkup trips.

My Fund-raising agency, The National Foundation for Transplants has associated with Go Fund Me to help raise additional funds. I am asking for any help you can provide to me. I also ask if you can forward this information to help me if you feel it is appropriate.

Here is the link to the NFT/GoFundMe page for donations.

https://charity.gofundme.com/nft-patrickdonnelly

Update: Patrick has returned to his home in NC.

I am home now and continue to exercise and keep my lungs working and getting stronger.  I stopped by my school and got to see most of the 6th grade teachers I worked with.  I was very exciting!  I am looking forward to the new school year.  Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way.  I still have to return for checkups and I have a list of medications to keep up with.  Your donations have allowed me to get through this experience with less stress and I definitely know that has allowed me the success I have had in recovery to date.

Update: Patrick received a transplant on February 14, 2020!I received new lungs on Valentine's Day.  What a present to my wife!  I was discharged from the hospital on March 4th and stayed at the family house after that.  I started my rehab in the hospital.  Practically 2-3 days after surgery.  I had to get up and sit in a chair rather then the bed for time each day.  I continued rehab in my room.  What I site I was walking down the hallway with 2 therapist holding me and 2 nurses carrying my containers for my chest tubes.  They start you fast to get better.  

After about 7 days, I was sent to a room and recuperated there until discharge. Patrick Donnelly is fighting for his life. In January of 2016, Patrick suffered from double pneumonia. Even after recovering, his lung problems persisted, and he was eventually diagnosed with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. His health has deteriorated and he now relies on an oxygen tank to help him breathe. Doctors say a lung transplant is critical to his survival.

During such a challenging time, Patrick is thankful for the love and support of his wife, Tracy, son, Patrick, and their family and friends.  His wife and son worry a lot about his health. Patrick is a teacher, and it is getting difficult to talk all day to his students. He hopes to make it through the upcoming school year, but his declining health makes things uncertain.Patrick looks forward to receiving a transplant that will allow him to be more active again and free him from an oxygen tank. He wants nothing more than to be able to breathe freely, spend time with his family, and eventually enjoy the retirement he’s worked for his entire life.  But right now, he needs your help.

The average lung transplant costs more than $785,000. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health insurance, which will cover a portion of the cost of the transplant, 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.When he receives his transplant, Patrick will have to temporarily relocate to be near 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 Patrick. 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 Patrick Donnelly” on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!

Patient Health Institute: Duke