Rebecca Howland

Rebecca Howland

Transplant Type: Double Lung

Thank you for your prayers and support over the last year.  We are so very grateful and blessed that the doctors at UCSF (and the modern miracle of lung transplant) have given Rebecca a second chance at life.

It’s hard to believe it was just a few years ago in 2015 that Rebecca went to the doctor because she’d had a persistent cough and was feeling unusually short of breath after simply taking her dog for walks. She was quickly and dismally diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, an incurable autoimmune condition which causes progressive scarring of the lung tissue, affecting one’s ability to breathe adequate oxygen into the bloodstream. At diagnosis, her lung function was a mere 40% of normal, and her doctors were, in fact, surprised she could climb a flight of stairs, or cross a city block, without being severely winded.

Rebecca’s lung function continued to decline, and by early 2017 she required oxygen 24 hours a day just to remain alive. After two years of trying immunosuppressant therapies that failed to stop the scarring, her pulmonologist finally sat her down and grimly delivered the news that the only option for her survival was a double-lung transplant. Initially overwhelmed, she handled the prognosis with amazing strength and determination while keeping her signature sense of humor. She made it onto the stringent UCSF lung transplant list in late 2017, and then 2018 seemed like an endless wait; at times she felt sure she’d been forgotten. Thankfully, Rebecca finally got “the call” and received a double-lung transplant on October 22, 2018.

Over the course of what she calls “this white-knuckle ride,” Rebecca has had the love and support of her husband, Jeff, both their families, and friends. She was also blessed with two incredible, loving step kids who were 9 and 11 at the time of her diagnosis. Sadly, her health has prevented her from being the active wife and stepmom she once was. She looks forward to recovering from her transplant so she can be her old herself again. She used to enjoy daily dog walks, weekend trips, singing karaoke, going to the beach, traveling, and just being spontaneously active – all things lung disease and oxygen dependence swiftly took from her. With her new lungs, she has high hopes to return to those activities once she has fully recovered.

As you can imagine, lung transplants are as expensive as they are rare. 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, she faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up surveillance care, and daily anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant meds are very expensive, but they’re as critical to her survival as the transplant itself. Five-year national survival rates are at a somber 51%, so post-transplant care and diligence is critical. Rebecca enjoyed a successful career in real estate, but her declining health forced her to stop working, further adding to their financial burdens. 

How can you help?  The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is a 501(c)(3) organization working with her team of supporters to help relieve the growing burden of expenses for transplant patients. NFT is recognized by the IRS as a qualified tax exempt organization. All donations can be used as charitable deductions.

Only 3% of each donation goes to cover NFT’s operational expenses, versus 9% with GoFundMe efforts. Let’s help Rebecca celebrate new lungs, the new year, and a new start in life!  Your gift—of $25, $50, $100 or more— enables NFT to provide her with the financial support she needs helping her cover the high cost of hospital and medical expenses.

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

Patient Health Institute: University of California San Francisco Lung Transplant Program