Cystic Fibrosis film on line 6-22-13 to 6-30-13

Film about twin sisters’ double lung transplants and battle against cystic fibrosis available online

Lia Steakley, http://scopeblog.stanford.edu 

“The Power of Two,” a documentary offering an intimate look at the lives of twin sisters Anabel Stenzel and Isabel Stenzel Byrnes and their battle with cystic fibrosis, will be available on the web for viewers in the United States June 22 through June 30.

After undergoing aggressive treatments during childhood, the siblings graduated from Stanford in 1994 and completed their graduate degrees at University of California-Berkeley. They received three sets of transplant lungs between them and co-wrote amemoir chronicling their transformation from illness to wellness made possible by organ donors. Their miraculous story inspired the award-winning film. Today, the pair work at Stanford’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

The documentary is being streamed online in recognition of Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month and to raise awareness for organ donation and transplantation.

Previously: Meet the filmmakers behind “The Power of Two” and Living- and thriving- with cystic fibrosis

Starting tonight (June 22) at 8 p.m. Pacific/Eastern, watch the KCETLink special presentation of "The Power Of Two" on TV and online across the U.S.!

Here's where you can see the film:

• LinkTV (nationwide on satellite): DIRECTV Channel 375 and DISH Network Channel 9410
• KCET (Southern/Central California): Click here for channels. 
• Online (nationwide):www.ThePowerOfTwo.tv 

The film will air through June 30 so, if you can't see it tonight, don't worry! Click here for dates/times, exclusive clips, blog posts, and resources about organ donation and cystic fibrosis. 

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Fundraiser for Oregon man needing kidney/pancreas transplant

‘A longer, healthier life’ 

By Jennifer Moody, Albany Democrat-Herald, Oregon

Fundraiser to help man with diabetes who is seeking kidney-pancreas transplant

LEBANON — Micah Evans was 6 years old when he got a flu that wouldn’t go away.

His illness progressed to the point where he had to be hospitalized. It took two months to fully recover, and by then, his pancreas was so damaged it could no longer produce insulin.

That led to Type I diabetes, which Evans has battled for 31 years. He went into full renal failure two years ago and is now seeking a kidney and pancreas transplant through Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

The Lebanon man has insurance to cover the costs of the actual transplant. But he said he’ll need roughly $15,000 for the three-month post-operation stay in Portland, some of the post-operation medications he’ll need, and help for he and his wife to care for their three young sons while he recovers.

Family members and friends have organized a multifamily yard sale this weekend in Millersburg to help out. They’ve also set up an account at US Bank, a Facebook page and a fundraiser May 24-26 at Panda Express. More efforts are in the works.

The yard sale will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2257 Alexander Lane. That’s the home of Dion and Stephanie Evans, Evans’ brother and sister-in-law.

Evans grew up in Lacomb, where his parents still live. He graduated in 1994 from Lebanon High School and said he’s been very grateful for all the assistance from his family and the community thus far.

Diabetes caused Evans two retinal detachments, compromising his vision and leading to the loss of his job at Rent A Center in 2009. It also causes extreme fatigue.

“It’s hard to get around just because of that fatigue, you know?” Evans said. “You’re able to do stuff, but you take a lot of breaks.”

A musician, Evans has uploaded a few songs about his situation on YouTube. They can be found under the title “Micah Evans Music.”

Currently, he spends four hours, three times a week, on dialysis, but the machine isn’t a substitute for a working kidney.

“There’s things it misses when it does its cleaning job,” he said. “The doctors at OHSU thought I would be a good candidate for a double transplant (kidney and pancreas), because it’ll give the kidney a better lifespan, they believe.”

Evans and his wife of 16 years, Miranda, have three boys: Brayden, 10, Silas, 7, and Cohen, 4. Miranda recently lost her job as a certified nursing assistant.

“The dream of having a life-saving double transplant means everything to me. It means a longer, healthier life with my family,” Evans wrote on the website established to raise money for his transplant costs. “This necessary procedure will not only transform my life, but also the life of my family.”

More information about Evans, his condition and various fundraisers is available on his website,www.metfd.org, and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MicahEvansTransplantFund.

TRANSPLANT CANDIDACY

An organ transplant candidate’s ability to live in Portland for three months following the procedure is just one of numerous factors affecting candidacy.

The location question is important because numerous medical followups are needed in the weeks following surgery to make sure the recipient isn’t rejecting the new organ, said Mike Seely, executive director of transplant services at Oregon Health & Science University.

However, Seely said, potential organ recipients also are assessed in many other ways to ensure “proper stewardship” of the gift. Doctors ask, for instance, if the patient will take the proper medication and refrain from activities that could compromise the transplant.

Donated organs, he said, are “a precious resource, which we don’t have enough of.”

That said, waiting times for transplants in the Pacific Northwest generally are pretty good, compared with the rest of the nation, Seely said. Residents of Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana are more likely than folks in the rest of the country to agree to be donors.

Seely did not immediately have average wait times for a kidney-pancreas transplant, such as Lebanon resident Micah Evans needs. Blood types and the health factors of both the donor and the recipient all affect the process.

The hospital performed eight such transplants in 2011, with a survival rate of 100 percent.

“It’s so important to get the message out: There are not enough donors. Eighteen people die in the United States every day waiting for some type of organ transplant,” Seely said. “The graciousness of someone else is the key to this person’s health.”

Read More: http://democratherald.com/news/local/a-longer-healthier-life/article_83bfd984-bdda-11e2-9dcf-001a4bcf887a.html

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Hundreds walk/run for 15-year-old Kayla

CTV, Kitchener, ON, Canada

Five weeks after a single lung transplant, Kayla Baker rolled through the halls of Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital Saturday as hundreds walked or ran along the Bob McMullen Trail in Cambridge for the inaugural Run aLung 3 to 5 km Walk/Run.

The goal of the event is to raise $50,000 for the rehab center at Sick Kids and also awareness about organ donations.

Many of those walking and running Saturday have a connection with the 15-year-old and her family.

PHOTOS

Kayla Baker as seen in this video still from January 2013.

“Kayla goes to school with my daughter at St. Benedict’s.” Tammy Fundak says.

Family friend Trish Main calls Kayla’s a fighter.

“She’s done a lot for a lot of people, it doesn’t take much to do a little something for her and make her dream come true.” Main says.

Kayla’s father Frank says she feels the support from all those cheering her on.

“When she’s not feeling well, I’ll read the posts that are on ‘New Lungs for Kayla’ on Facebook and I think a lot of that really helps her manage each day.” Baker says.

Kayla was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a rare lung disease at the age of 11.  This disease is the consequence of chemotherapy she received when she battled cancer, starting at the age of 18 months.  She spent two years on a waiting list for new lungs with an oxygen tank attached to her.

This past April, the City of Cambridge went green in support of Kayla as she recovered from a lung transplant.  From lamp posts, to benches, to trees, everything was covered with a green bow.

Read more & view video: CTV, Kitchener, ON, Canada

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IABC Names Hélène Campbell Communicator of the Year

Congratulations to Hélène Campbell for receiving this prestigious honor from The International Association of Business Communicators In Ottawa, Canada. Her efforts to increase awareness for organ and tissue donation have had a global impact in a very short time and she has now launched her Give2Live Campaign, which exists to support organ recipients and their families through Transplant Patient & Family Support Fund at the Toronto General Hospital.

May 7, 2013

Photo Credit: MIchelle Valberg

Hélène Campbell, Ottawa’s advocate for organ donations and founder of the Give2Live campaign, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious Communicator of the Year Award.

“The Communicator of the Year Award is essentially about using communications effectively to make an impact,” said Kelly Rusk, president of IABC Ottawa, who nominated Hélène for the award. “Hélène has demonstrated that a combination of passion, determination and the savvy use of new communications channels can be harnessed to make a difference in the world. She has effectively changed the conversation and put organ donation front of mind for many.”

The IABC Ottawa board chose to honor Hélène not only for her tremendous efforts with her online campaign #BeAnOrganDonor, but specifically because she was able to harness her fame into her latest initiative, the Give2Live Campaign, which exists to support organ recipients and their families through Transplant Patient & Family Support Fund at the Toronto General Hospital.

“I am honored to be the recipient of this year’s IABC Ottawa Communicator of the Year Award,” says Campbell, “Kindness without expectations of return is the ultimate gift of love.”

Please join us in recognizing Hélène at the IABC Ottawa 2013 Excel Award Celebration on Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Register now!

Who is Hélène Campbell?

Hélène was the recipient of a double lung transplant at the age of 21. She used her experiences to share her story on Twitter and start the online campaign #BeAnOrganDonor, which garnered attention from Canadian popstar Justin Bieber and The Ellen Degeneres show. Campbell garnered attention from local and national media, local and national politicians and even Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper who presented her with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

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Canadian Government supports National Transplant Research Program

New program to enhance the survival and quality of life of Canadians needing organ and tissue transplants

Ottawa, ON  — Canadian transplant patients have new hope as the Government today announced the launch of a new national transplantation research program that will develop new knowledge and health care practices that address barriers to tissue and organ donation and will improve health outcomes for transplant recipients in Canada. The Honorable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health made the announcement at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. The Minister was joined by Dr. Lori West, Director of the new Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP), and Hélène Campbell, a double lung transplant recipient and co-founder of the Give 2 Live Campaign.

"Our Government recognized the need for a national program to help Canadians who have received or who are waiting for tissue and organ transplants," said Minister Aglukkaq. "That is why we committed to fund this research program and we are delivering on this commitment to Canadians. This program will provide important information to guide the development of policies and programs that increase tissue and organ donation in Canada and enhance the survival and quality of life of Canadians who receive transplants."

The CNTRP brings together over 105 investigators across 9 provinces. The program will transform the field of transplantation by addressing the barriers to donation therefore increasing the number of available organs, improving the quality and viability of donated organs and grafts, and enhancing long-term survival and quality of life of transplant patients. The CNTRP is the first program in the world to unite and integrate the solid organ transplant, bone marrow transplant and the donation and critical care research communities together in a groundbreaking national research endeavour.

"The transplant and donation communities across Canada have come together to create a truly unique collective research program that will foster innovation, creativity and collaboration in new ways that will increase our ultimate effectiveness" said Dr. Lori West, Director of the CNTRP and Professor of Pediatrics, Surgery and Immunology at the University of Alberta. "This integration will improve donation and transplant programs across the country and will impact the lives of transplant patients and those awaiting transplant".

"Canadian transplant centers and organizations are working together, for patients like me", said Hélène Campbell, double-lung transplant recipient and organ donation advocate. "The results of this program will be groundbreaking for all patients".

Funding for this program is being provided through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in partnership with Canadian Blood Services, Canadian Liver Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé, Genome British Columbia, and the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

The Canadian Government remains focused on four priorities, as outlined by Prime Minister Harper, that Canadians care most about: their families, the safety of our streets and communities, their pride in being a citizen of this country, and of course, their personal financial security.

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Give the gift of life — Facts on organ donation

By Dr. Andrew Bernard — Contributing columnist

Kentucky.com

April is National Donate Life Month, an opportunity to renew the commitment to save lives through organ and tissue donation. Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA), the Kentucky Circuit Court Clerk Association, and many Kentucky hospitals are hosting events to recognize the importance of donation.

Though nearly 1.3 million Kentucky residents over 18 have joined the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry, we can do better. The need for organ and tissue donors is on the rise and is a public health crisis.

How many people are waiting for an organ transplant?

More than 117,000 people nationally, including more than 919 in Kentucky, are currently waiting for an organ transplant. About 134 people are added to the waiting list each day — one every 10 minutes.

Although approximately 77 organ transplants take place every day, on average, 18 patients die each day while waiting because the organ they needed did not become available in time.

At UK HealthCare, 155 patients received organ transplants in 2012, with many of these patients receiving multiple organs.

What is the difference between organ and tissue donation?

Organ donation involves the transplantation of solid organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and pancreas. However, tissue donation is also extremely important. More than 1 million tissue transplants are done nationally each year, and the surgical need for tissue has been steadily rising.

Examples of tissue that can be donated include skin, bone, heart valves, blood vessels, and even corneas. These donated tissues can make a huge difference in the quality of life for many patients.

What is "living donation"?

While most donations will take place after the donor is deceased, it is possible for a living person to donate some organs or tissues. The most common is living kidney donation — because humans have two kidneys, it is possible for a person to donate one kidney. Additionally, lobes of the liver or lungs can be given by a living donor. Tissues that can be donated by a living donor include skin, bone marrow and blood stem cells.

Most living donations take place between family or close friends, but sometimes they do take place between complete strangers.

How can I become an organ donor?

The best way to become an organ donor is to join the Organ Donor Registry. You can do this at the DMV when you renew your driver's license, or join online anytime at Donatelifeky.org.

A single donor can save or improve the lives of more than 50 people through organ and tissue donation. It only takes minutes to join the registry, and your decision could give the gift of life to a patient in dire need.

UK HealthCare and KODA will celebrate this month with an exhibit from 5-8 p.m. on April 19 at Lexington Central Library during the Gallery Hop. The exhibit features life-size canvases created by eight UK transplant recipients that showcase their journey and honor their donors.

Dr. Andrew Bernard is the chair of the Organ Donation and Transplantation Action Council at UK Healthcare.

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Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/04/07/2590235/give-the-gift-of-life-facts-on.html#storylink=cpy

Fundraiser for double-lung transplant expenses

Dinner and auction in honor of double-lung transplant patient scheduled

HoustonNews.com

Karen Gearheart is awaiting a lifesaving double-lung transplant, and the costs are overwhelming.

Gearheart, 54, has faced health problems since age 1, when she was diagnosed with asthma, which has also afflicted her father, brother and three children. She was diagnosed with emphysema in 2004, and she learned she was also suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shortly thereafter. In 2011, she underwent a tracheotomy, and she relies on an oxygen tank 24 hours a day and a ventilator to sleep.

To help alleviate the financial burden, Gearheart turned to the National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) for assistance with some of these financial burdens. NFT is a nonprofit organization that helps patients raise funds to pay for transplant-related expenses.

A double-lung transplant costs approximately $800,000. Even with health coverage, she faces significant expenses. She will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications for the rest of her life. Post-transplant medications are very costly, and they are as critical to her survival as the transplant itself.

“Can you imagine literally struggling for every breath?” said Claire Prince, NFT fundraising consultant. “It breaks my heart to think about it, but that’s the reality for Karen. At NFT, we’re dedicated to helping these volunteers raise the necessary funds so Karen can focus on her health without constantly worrying about the medical expenses.”

On Saturday, April 13 at noon, volunteers are holding “Karing for Karen,” a barbecue dinner and silent auction in Gearheart’s honor.

The event will be held at Scooter’s Ice House, 1134 N. Main St. in Pearland. Barbecue plates will cost $8 and include sausage, beans, potato salad and bread.

Raffle tickets will be sold for $10 apiece, and the winner will receive a barbecue pit valued at $300. A silent auction will include more than 40 items valued between $25 and $450. A DJ with Bayou City Entertainment will provide music.

Kids’ activities will include face painting, moon bounce, temporary tattoos. Sweet & Sassy will also be on hand to provide manicures and up-dos.

For more information, contact Brittney Canales at 713-828-7647 or brittney1206@hotmail.com.

To make a tax-deductible donation in honor of Gearheart, please send a contribution to the NFT Ohio* Transplant Fund, 5350 Poplar Ave., Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Please be sure to write “in honor of Karen Gearheart” on the memo line. Secure donations also can be made online at www.transplants.org. Donors should click on “Patients We Help” to locate Gearheart.

*Gearheart resides in Ohio, but her sister and niece live in the Pearland area and are planning this event.

About NFT

NFT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Memphis, Tenn. that has been helping transplant patients overcome financial obstacles since 1983. NFT provides fundraising expertise and advocacy to transplant patients by organizing fundraising campaigns in the patients’ own communities. NFT’s fundraising campaigns have generated nearly $60 million to assist patients. NFT assists more than 1,200 transplant candidates and recipients nationwide. For more information about NFT, please call 800-489-3863 or visit www.transplants.org.

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Cystic fibrosis sufferer increases lung capacity by singing

By Emma Innes, Mail Online

Bianca Nicholas, 22, suffers from cystic fibrosis, which can make it hard to breathe

A cystic fibrosis sufferer has been saved from a double lung transplant by her love of singing.

Bianca Nicholas, 22, suffers from the life-threatening lung condition which means that she needs daily physiotherapy to prevent mucus build up.

She was facing the prospect of a life-saving lung transplant but incredibly, her love of belting out hits from her favourite musical, Les Miserables, has increased her lung capacity by almost 20 per cent.

As a child, Ms Nicholas’ parents were warned she may only live to nine years old - but the charity worker refused to let her condition get in the way as she dreamed a dream of musical stardom.

Now the aspiring pop star, from Beckenham, Kent, has sung for Prince William and already has a single in the top five of the iTunes chart.

She said: ‘When people discover that I have cystic fibrosis, they can't believe that I'm able to belt out the tunes from Les Mis.

‘Most sufferers tend to have quite a bad cough and get very breathless, so for some it's surprising that I can sing at all.

‘Singing actually exercises my lungs, and because I'm singing all the time, my lungs get twice as much exercise, so it really improves my health.’

She added: ‘I went for a check-up recently and the doctors told me that my lung function was up to 88 per cent - I couldn't believe it.

I'm lucky that something I love not only makes me happy, but actually improves my health too.’

Cystic fibrosis is caused by a faulty gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of the cells within the body, it affects 9,000 people in the UK and is thought to cause two deaths every week.

It affects the internal organs, especially the lungs, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus, making it hard to breathe.

Experts agree that singing can help those with the condition.

Ed Owens, CEO of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, explained: ‘Many people with cystic fibrosis find unique ways to help keep their lungs clear and themselves well, and singing can form part of the breathing exercises that can help to shift the mucus, decreasing chance of infection.

‘Bianca serves as an inspiration to thousands of others with cystic fibrosis that they can follow their dreams and achieve success at doing the things they love.’

She has also dueted with Will Young, and even got the chance to perform for Prince William at a charity ball

Ms Nicholas began having tests for the condition when she was just five months old, but was given the official diagnosis after her second birthday.

She said: ‘I don't ever remember being told that I have CF, I just always knew I had it.

‘I was probably about seven years old when I realised how serious the condition is.

‘None of my school friends were going to the hospital all the time or taking loads of tablets every day. I suddenly realised I was different.

‘As I've got older I'm used to living with CF. I have to do physio on my chest every morning to clear the mucus on my lungs, and I take about 30 different drugs throughout the day.

Having improved her lung capacity, she now wants to be a professional singer

‘Every morning I take my inhaler, and a nebuliser which takes about an hour, and I have to eat a high calorie diet as the CF stops me from absorbing the goodness in my food.’

Ms Nicholas’ love of singing started when she was five.

Her mother heard her singing along to a tape and was surprised how good she was so enrolled her in an amateur dramatics group.

Since then she has been determined to make a name for herself, and regularly plays gigs up and down the country.

She has also dueted with Will Young, and even got the chance to perform for Prince William at a charity ball in 2008.

Ms Nicholas said: ‘Singing for Prince William was incredible. After I sang he gestured for me to come over and we spent half an hour chatting.

‘I was going to audition for X factor at the time, and he told me that he 'd vote for me if I went on. He was lovely.’

She said ‘I'd practice until I could sing a whole song without coughing. The more I sang, the bigger breaths I could take, and I struggled much less in everyday life.

‘It started to become clear that it was having a really positive affect on my health, and my doctors agreed.’

The next goal in Bianca's singing career is to secure a record deal.

For more information click here to visit the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s website.

Read more at Daily Mail:

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Miracle baby gets heart transplant

Miracle baby gets heart transplant after five-month wait just weeks after thieves stole $3,000 from her medical expenses fund

By SNEJANA FARBEROV and DAILY MAIL REPORTER

An emotionally grueling five-month wait for one brave Florida family is finally over.

She will spend the next few weeks in hospital but Jaelyn's parents hope to have her at home for her first birthday

Late on Thursday evening the All Children's Hospital in Orlando (Florida) confirmed they had completed a successful heart transplant for Jaelyn Anderson. The little girl had been on the wait list since November 1 2012.

While Jaelyn can now begin her recovery, and her parents Brooke and Joshua Anderson, of St Petersburg, can look to the future with hope, it was only two weeks ago that things looked very different. 

On Valentine's Day when callous criminals stole $3,000 in cash donated towards her medical expenses.

Scroll down for video

Brave: After a five-month wait Jaelyn Anderson finally has a new heart

Relief: This is the moment that Brooke Anderson (holding her daughter Jaelyn) discovered that a heart was available for transplant. 'We got a heart! We got a heart,' she cried.

Jaelyn has been suffering from a potentially deadly virus called myocarditis, which has been causing her heart to expand. 

Though she was put on transplant list five months ago because the tissue in her heart is so rare, the family were told that it would take a long time to find the right match.

So when her family were told that a new heart was available on Thursday morning it was an overwhelming occasion. And the TV cameras were there.

With one doctor's words, Jaelyn's parents' world changed.

'We got a heart! We got a heart!' her mother Brooke Anderson cried. 'I'm happy but I'm scared,' she said immediately.

Jaelyn's parent's appeared on Anderson Live on CNN today and explained how they were at first in disbelief about the possibility of a transplant.

Brooke said the fact only 'registered' after three doctors were all telling the couple that a heart was available. 

The transplant was done on Thursday evening and late last night the Facebook page A New Heart For Jaelyn was updated with some good news.

Brooke Anderson can't stop crying with joy as she holds her daughter in her arms

Emotion: Jaelyn's mother Brooke burst into tears on Anderson Live after recounting the moment they discovered a heart was available and explaining how well their daughter was doing

Lifesaver: After a five-month wait a new heart for Jaelyn arrived, carried by a doctor in a cooler

When asked how Jaelyn is doing after the heart transplant, her mother replied Brooke replied: 'She's fabulous. She came out trying to rip everything out. She's amazing.'

'

The surgery went beautifully! She will also have a transplant nurse by her side through the night.'

'Jaelyn has had the new heart placed in and it is now beating on its own and she is off the bypass, so thank you for your thoughts and prayers.'

When host Anderson Cooper asked Brooke how Jaelyn was doing, Brooke replied: 'She's fabulous. She came out trying to rip everything out. She's amazing. They didn't expect her to be doing as well as she is,' said the proud mother.

She will spend the next few weeks in hospital but Jaelyn's parents hope to have her at home for her first birthday.

While waiting for a new heart, the family of the precious little girl racked up massive bills for her medical expenses. 

Jaelyn's grandfather set up a charity and while many donated generously, on February 14 thieves made off with $3,000 donated to Jaelyn's cause.

Video: Jaelyn's parents discover a heart transplant is available

Toddler Jaelyn Anderson gets a new heart.

Heartless crime: Thieves stole $3,000 meant to help the parents of ailing Jaelyn Anderson with her medical bills

Good Samaritans: Jaelyn's grandfather, Rodger Anderson, pictured left and right, mobilized his co-workers at JetBlue to raise money for the little girl 

In a bid to help her parents with the mounting costs of her care, Rodger Anderson, who works for JetBlue, mobilized his co-workers and raised about $10,000 in cash.

According to Anderson's colleague James Can Cleave, several JetBlue employees traveled to South Florida to collect a portion of the donations totaling $3,000.

But while they were having lunch in Orlando, someone broke into their van and stole the badly needed cash, along with their wallets, ID cards and luggage.

Jaelyn's grandfather said the heartless theft has left him devastated. His co-worker Van Cleave said it was gut-wrenching to find out that the donations were stolen.

Diagnosis: At six months, the child was rushed to the ER where doctors discovered that she has a virus called myocarditis that caused her heart to expand 

Precious patient: The sunny nine-month-old girl has been living at All Children's Hospital while waiting for a heart match

'It's a 10-month-old little girl that needs a transplant and it's her future,' he told MyFox Orlando. 'Without this help and support it's such a big burden on the family.'

According to a Facebook page set up by the Anderson family to raise funds for Jaelyn, last October, the toddler was rushed to an emergency room after experiencing trouble breathing.

At the hospital, doctors have discovered that Jaelyn was suffering from myocarditis.  

The smiling, rambunctious toddler has been living at All Children's Hospital since receiving the devastating diagnosis. The medical bills have been piling up, straining her parents' finances to the breaking point. 

Complications: The toddler's enormous heart has caused Jaelyn's right lung to collapse, and doctors say her rare heart tissue could mean a long wait for the perfect match  

Jaelyn's mother, Brooke, was forced to quit her job so that her daughter would not be left alone in the hospital. She told ABC Action News said the $3,000 would have gone a long way.

'She brings joy to everybody. She's so sick and she acts like nothing is wrong with her. I am amazed,' Mrs Anderson told 13News.

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