Northwestern Student Seeks Help For Lifesaving Transplant

Northwestern University sophomore Josie Nordman was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a chronic and frequently fatal lung disease, when she was only four years old.

Now, at 19, the Homewood native is left with only 22 percent of her lung function. She was added to the lung transplant list on Dec. 12.

A transplant is her only hope of surviving.

Unfortunately, that hope comes with a hefty $750,000 price tag, according to her mother, Nicolle Nordman. While the family's insurance will cover the bulk of that amount, the Nordman family will be left with a bill of $50,000 to $75,000, much more than they can afford.

“We are struggling to pay our monthly bills due to so many medical costs that we have no idea how to come up with this kind of money,” Nicolle Nordman wrote on Facebook. “We need a miracle …”

In order to raise the money, Nicolle Nordman turned to Facebook for help. A former teacher of Josie’s took it a step further and set up a website where anybody can donate money towards the cause. They’ve already collected $1,300 from friends and strangers alike, but much more is needed. No donation is too small.

"I am so touched at the kindness of strangers and the amount of support we are receiving for Josie," Nicolle Nordman says. "We are grateful for all your help and support and it will all be used for Josie's transplant and recovery."

According to Nicolle Nordman, the average wait time for a lung transpant is six months. Because Josie is unusually small, she will most likely need lungs from a child--meaning the wait time could be even longer. 

Anyone interested in donating money towards Josie’s lung transplant can do so on this website.

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