Help Sarah and her family remove the financial pressure of a liver transplant. A humble and beautiful Mum who needs our help.

My dear friend Sarah was born with Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis affects the cells in the body that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices, causing them to become thick and sticky. This mucus then plugs up tubes, ducts and passageways. This mucus build up damages the body and it is a life long commitment to drugs and physiotherapy to break down the mucus.

For those of you who don't have the pleasure of knowing Sarah. She lives in Christchurch with her partner Blair and two daughters, Millie who is 6 and Mae who is 1. Sarah an artistic soul who enjoys cooking, design, and making her home look amazing. A family woman who will do anything for her family and friends, often putting herself last. Recently she has been very unwell and hasn't had the energy to live her life to the fullest.

Sarah's 36 years of life has involved a routine of daily medications (lots of pills!!), chest physio, and postural drainage to keep her Cystic Fibrosis managed. Sarah has had many hospital stays with infections and more recently performing ERCP's. The aim of the ERCP was to clear the bile ducts in the liver by removing waste and placing in stents, hoping to restore bile flow. The ERCP's have not worked and as a complication of Cystic Fibrosis, Sarah has developed cirrhosis this is scarring of the liver.

Sarah is has spent a week in Auckland being assessed for being a candidate for a liver transplant. The week long assessment in Auckland, involved twenty appointments over five days and was very mentally draining. With the added stress of the cost of this trip with the extra meals out, transport for Sarah's Mum to travel from Nelson to Christchurch to look after the girls for six days. Blair and Sarah have had to take the week off work and while some of these costs are covered as a reimbursement it is expensive being away from home for six days.

This transplant will transform Sarah's life and give her back the energy and health to enjoy her beautiful two girls, wonderful partner and extended family. She is a humble and caring person who deserves to have a quality life.

The exciting news is that Sarah is on the wait list for a liver transplant. However this comes with many stresses. The waitlist could be ..... to .... and when she is called up she needs to get herself onto the next available flight regardless of the hour of day or night. The recovery time in Auckland will be two to three months. This stay in Auckland is essential but logistically it's very challenging with her two girls and work commitments in Christchurch. Sarah is a talented Graphic Designer and her work during this time will be impossible and Blair's work will also be affected. With reduced incomes and extra costs this beautiful family need our help.

While the transplant itself is covered by the public health system there are many more costs that will have a massive impact on this wonderful family. Also the mortgage and bills still need to be paid with reduced incomes. Let's help this family by ensuring they can focus on the medical and emotional side of this journey.