One of the things that is wonderful about fandom is the way people reach out to help total strangers. Today and tomorrow, you have a chance to help, too.
debsliverlovers is a fandom auction to benefit Deb Mensinger and her wife, Laurie J. Marks (author of the Elemental Logic series, the Children of the Triad series, The Watcher’s Mask, and Dancing Jack, and guest of honor at WisCon 31). Bidding begins on Saturday, May 1, 2010, at 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Savings Time, and closes on Sunday, May 23, 2010, 11:59 pm Eastern DST. Bidding is currently OPEN!
What’s the cause?
This auction is to raise money for the medical and incidental expenses related to Deb Mensinger’s liver transplant. Deb and Laurie will have a number of expenses that are not covered by insurance, including the costs related to getting the potential live donor to Massachusetts for testing and, if all goes well, the surgery.
Deb has been disabled for several years by a genetic form of porphyria. Over time, porphyria destroys the liver, and Deb has now reached a point where she requires a liver transplant to survive.
We all know how difficult it is to get an organ transplant, and how long the lists are. However, there is a spot of hope in this: Deb's brother is willing to be a live donor. If he passes all the tests, genetic and otherwise, the hope is that the two of them would go into surgery simultaneously, and surgeons would remove a lobe of his liver and transplant it to Deb. In 6-8 weeks, both livers would regenerate into full, functioning livers, and Deb will never have porphyria again.
If you’d like to know more about the auction visit debsliverlovers – Community Profile.
