Heartfelt Help Foundation

The mission of Heartfelt Help Foundation is to help financially challenged heart transplant recipients in Northern California pay medically-required transplant-related expenses that are not covered by their insurance. HHF will perform this mission for the purpose of helping to ensure equal quality in and equal access to healthcare for people despite their financial limitations. HHF will accomplish its mission by helping heart recipients find and pay for post-discharge temporary recovery housing near their hospital which facilitates reliable and timely healing. HHF also will mentor heart transplant patients through the stresses of their situation to help them maximize the gift of life they ... read more The mission of Heartfelt Help Foundation is to help financially challenged heart transplant recipients in Northern California pay medically-required transplant-related expenses that are not covered by their insurance. HHF will perform this mission for the purpose of helping to ensure equal quality in and equal access to healthcare for people despite their financial limitations. HHF will accomplish its mission by helping heart recipients find and pay for post-discharge temporary recovery housing near their hospital which facilitates reliable and timely healing. HHF also will mentor heart transplant patients through the stresses of their situation to help them maximize the gift of life they received and will educate the public about organ donation and transplant. In Northern California, where I'm from, the cost of living is notoriously high and many heart transplant recipients face a daunting challenge. Doctors require them to stay close to their transplant centers for at least a month and often longer for frequent follow-up care, and the expense of that temporary housing in these areas can be overwhelming. This financial burden disproportionately affects those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, potentially jeopardizing their recovery and long-term outcomes. I formed Heartfelt Help Foundation to address this issue. We provide financial assistance for the temporary recovery housing required for transplant patients, their caregivers and families, helping to create equitable access to clean, safe, private places to stay, of the same quality as those with larger means have ready access to, which alleviates the dire financial stress during this critical time and facilitates recovery. We provide hope, showing what's possible when the community comes together to support those in need. We also need systemic changes. We need policies that recognize temporary recovery housing as a critical component of post-transplant care. We need insurance coverage that extends beyond the surgery itself to encompass the full spectrum of recovery needs and medical requirements. As we celebrate advancements in transplant medicine, let's also commit to addressing inequities that persist. Let's work towards a future where no transplant recipient has to choose between a clean, safe place to stay for their post-transplant care and their essential living expenses. Where the zip code of a patient doesn't determine their access to life-saving follow-up care