Vanessa got sick with antibiotic resistant pneumonia in 2019 and lost her right lung on December 25th of that year. She was then diagnosed with stage 3 mesothelioma lung cancer in 2020 and did chemotherapy radiation on and off for at least 2 years along with a year of immunotherapy.

Her cancer has now metastasized to her liver, and she is in the end stage of liver failure; earlier this year (2024) she was put on the transplant list. For the past 2 ½ months, she has been having liver dialysis, which unlike kidney dialysis where it can be performed long term, liver dialysis can only be done temporarily. She has about 2 weeks of dialysis left.

In addition, Vanessa also has heart problems and has to travel to Spokane to see her cardiologist regularly. She has Afib (atrial fibrillation) which is a type of arrhythmia or abnormal heartbeat along with hypertension and she requires a catheter ablation surgery be done along with a pace maker put in.

Once a liver is available, she will need to travel to Seattle to have the transplant surgery performed. She will need a place to stay while she recovers and for her husband, Robert, and their young son during the surgery.

Vanessa tries to go to church on Sundays and be there for her family but some days she is exhausted and can’t keep anything down. Most days she has a headache and there have been numerous times she has been put on bed rest. Throughout it all, she has not wavered in her faith in the lord, but rather her faith is strengthened daily.

Robert works full-time to make ends meet but even with the best income, the medical bills that they are dealing with alone are more than they can handle. Every month there are the expected prescriptions, oxygen tanks, travel expenses (fuel, accommodations, meals). Then there are the unexpected new prescriptions, new testing, additional travel…

We are asking for prayer for healing, wisdom, and provision. We are also asking that you please pray to see if God puts it on your heart to help Vanessa and her family financially. Any funds raised will go towards medical bills, including prescriptions, and travel expenses, like hotel accommodations, fuel, and meals, so they can focus on recovery instead of financial stress.