Restaurant fundraiser to help Tulsa transplant patient
Tulsa, Okla.,May 6, 2010 – Debbie Richards desperately needs a liver transplant but faces significant expenses. Community members can help with the costs by eating out May 14 and 21.
Richards, 55, was diagnosed with a life-threatening liver disease in 2003. Last year, she also was diagnosed with liver cancer, and doctors say a liver transplant is critical to her survival. She was added to the transplant waiting list in 2009.
A liver transplant costs approximately $500,000. Richards will lose her health coverage in 2011, and she faces significant medical expenses. For the rest of her life, she will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. The medications can cost as much as $5,000 per month, and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.
Because of her declining health, she was released from her job, adding to her financial strain. When she receives her transplant, she will have to relocate more than 100 miles from her home in Tulsa for at least three months to be closer to the transplant center during recovery.
To overcome these financial challenges, Richards turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance. NFT is a nonprofit organization that helps transplant patients raise funds to pay for medical expenses.
On Friday, May 14 and Friday, May 21, Rib Crib, 3022 S. Garnett will donate 10 percent of sales to help with Richards’ expenses. Diners must mention Richards to their server to ensure their meals are included. For more information, please contact Stacy Richards at tsdj2005h@aol.com or 918-829-3807.
To make donations in honor of Richards, please visit www.transplants.org and click on “patients we help” to search for her. If you prefer to mail your contribution, please send your gift to the NFT Oklahoma Liver Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Be sure to write “in honor of Debbie Richards” in the subject line.
Updated 05-06-2010
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