What if you were living on borrowed time? Jonathan Kelly Ford is awaiting a second chance at life. He first saw signs of illness a few years ago. An incredibly active and fit person, suddenly Jonathan noticed his belly bloating and appetite decreasing. Soon after, he had trouble breathing and eventually could no longer climb the stairs. After months of testing, his pulmonary specialist thought he
might have a rare genetic disease, transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis. The disease usually doesn’t manifest in someone so young, but a genetic test revealed that Jonathan inherited a double marker, when most only inherit one. Immediately after the diagnosis, he needed to have a pacemaker implanted, which he has had for over a year. Now doctors say a heart transplant is critical to his survival. During this difficult time, Jonathan is grateful for the support of his family—his rock. He has been blissfully married to his wife, Sandra for 37 years; together, they have three children and four grandchildren. It has been difficult for his family to watch the man who loved playing and coaching sports, the good Samaritan who rescued people from 4 car accidents and saved a neighbor’s life who was having a heart attack by performing CPR, and the Senior Account Manager who worked in hectic Silicon Valley for over 25 years be the one who needs saving. As Jonathan says, “It’s not easy watching your Dad, the one who was always strong and fit and full of energy change so drastically so quickly.”
Jonathan misses his active lifestyle, which used to consist of golfing, skating, hiking, cycling, riding and motorcycles. Over 35 years of coaching kids’ sports, he taught generations of kids not just the mechanics of sports, but life lessons—life, like sports, is a mental game. Sadly, he is unable to do many of the things he loves. At this point, even cycling for a minute is too strenuous. More than anything, Jonathan wants to get up and live his life again. He dreams of starting a non-profit organization with his wife to help kids, driving coast-to-coast to take in the majesty of our country, and teaching his grandchildren about the outdoors and giving back. Unfortunately, Jonathan’s hope for a new life comes at a very high price. The average heart transplant costs almost $1 million. And that’s only the beginning. Even with insurance, which will cover a portion of the transplant costs, Jonathan still faces significant expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very expensive, and they’re as critical to his survival as the transplant itself. Adding to the financial strain, Jonathan was only able to continue working for one year after his diagnosis; once he went on disability, he and his wife had to move almost 3 hours away from costly Silicon Valley in order to find affordable housing. When he receives his transplant, Jonathan and his wife must temporarily relocate 147 miles from their new home to San Francisco to be near the hospital during the recovery process, incurring substantial expenses. What if your life depended on the compassion and generosity of others? The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is working with volunteers and supporters to help relieve the growing burden of expenses for Jonathan. NFT has been assisting transplant patients with fundraising support for more than 30 years. Your gift—of $25, $50, $100 or more—will enable NFT to provide Jonathan with the financial support he desperately needs.
