In 2008, a CT scan showed scarring on Patrick McGowan's lungs. McGowan, a 35-year resident of Bergen County, was subsequently diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. His condition has been stable, but things recently took a turn for the worse. Doctors now say a lung transplant is critical to his survival, and he was added to the active transplant waiting list in June.

The average lung transplant costs approximately $550,000 — and that’s only the beginning. Even with adequate health insurance, Patrick faces insurmountable expenses related to the surgery. For the rest of his life, he will need follow-up care and daily anti-rejection medications. Post-transplant medications are very costly, and they are as critical to his survival as the transplant itself.

To learn more, and to help Patrick by making a tax-deductible donation via the National Foundation for Transplants, please visit  http://patients.transplants.org/patrickmcgowan. If you'd prefer to send a gift by mail, please send it to the NFT New Jersey Transplant Fund, 5350 Poplar Avenue, Suite 430, Memphis, TN 38119. Please be sure to write "in honor of Patrick McGowan" on the memo line.

Thank you for your generosity!