On October 3, our family’s world changed when my mom, Donna Meade, became critically ill while traveling to Idaho for an American Kennel Club (AKC) dog show judging assignment. She was initially hospitalized in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and she was airlifted to Intermountain Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she remains on life support. After nearly two weeks of testing, doctors confirmed she has West Nile virus, which has caused severe inflammation and injury to her brain.
My mom is only 67 years old. She is immunocompromised, making this devastating virus especially difficult for her body to fight. Unfortunately, there is no approved treatment or cure for West Nile virus. Her recovery depends on supportive medical care and her body’s ability to fight the infection. She remains unresponsive and has undergone a tracheostomy and feeding tube placement. Her neurologist at Intermountain Health consulted specialists at Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic. We were advised that meaningful neurological improvement is possible, even in immunocompromised patients, but may take 8–12 weeks or longer. This has given our family much-needed hope.
Our greatest hope is to bring our mom back home to Virginia, where all of her children and grandchildren live. Her ICU physician has recommended exploring a transfer to a LTACH (long-term acute care hospital) near family, where she can continue receiving specialized medical care and have her loved ones by her side.
Unfortunately transporting her across the country requires a medically equipped aircraft and specialized medical team which Medicare does not cover. Thankfully, we were able to secure a flight for $25,871, significantly less than originally anticipated. Every dollar raised will help cover her transportation, ongoing medical care, and living expenses, allowing her to focus on recovery without the financial pressure of returning to work if and when she’s ready.
Any contribution, no matter how small, or simply sharing her story, would mean the world to us.
Thank you for your prayers, generosity, and support as we fight to give my mom every possible chance at recovery.
With love and gratitude,
Lisa Meade
Donna’s daughter
