Together we can do hard things.

During our hospital stay, we became close with many families waiting for heart transplants. We saw firsthand how incredibly difficult this journey is, not just for the child, but for their parents and siblings as well. Some children spend months in the hospital waiting. Others are there over a year. The financial toll is enormous, between housing costs, ongoing mortgage payments at home, lost income, childcare for other children, food in the city, medical bills, and more.

But the emotional and physical toll is just as overwhelming. There’s the constant, worry about your sick child and the desperate hope they’ll receive a transplant in time. The sadness of being separated from your other children and your spouse, while needing to be by your sick child’s side. The loneliness of being away from home, friends, and family. Sleeping on a hospital cot night after night, with the sound of monitors beeping around the clock. Nurses and doctors in and out of the room—rarely a quiet moment to yourself.

It is exhausting. It is unbelievably hard.

A Starbucks or DoorDash gift card can be a lifeline: A hot coffee after a long night at the hospital. A warm meal when you haven’t had time or energy to think about food. A moment of normalcy in the chaos.

A Target/Amazon gift card to get a few things to help you feel human again. New sweatpants or a clean shirt. A mattress topper to soften the thin hospital cot you’re sleeping on. A firestick for the TV to provide some entertainment.

These things aren’t luxuries—they’re care, dignity, and comfort when it’s needed most. They're a way to say: You’re not alone. It’s incredible what even a small act of kindness can do for someone just trying to get through the day. We hope to provide those acts of kindness along with additional financial and emotional support while families are waiting for transplant.

We were fortunate to have such a strong community and VILLAGE of support to make our transplant journey more bearable.

Now, through Love from Lincoln, we want to offer that same support to others encouraging them to Just Keep Going all while spreading awareness for organ donation.