By Mike Pettinella/photos Alecia Kaus
Hundreds of people congregated this afternoon at the Polish Falcons Hall on South Swan Street, picking up chicken barbecue dinners and purchasing basket raffle tickets in support of Michelle Rhodes’ double lung transplant journey.
Organizers said that all of the 400 or so pre-ordered dinners were sold. At least that many donated baskets were lined up on tables in the hall’s dining room.
Rhodes, 49, a wife, mother of four and grandmother of two, grew up in Oakfield and now lives on Transit Road in Wyoming. She is in the end stages of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, an incurable and underdiagnosed disease that has severely affected her ability to breathe.
She was at the event today and said she will be traveling to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center next month to continue her quest toward the much-needed double lung transplant.
The benefit was set up by family and friends to help her raise the $20,000 required to pay for the transplants and related expenses. Additionally, a GoFundMe page set up for her has raised $6,915 thus far.
GoFundMe Link below:
Fundraiser by Hailey Rhodes : Support Michelle’s Double Lung Transplant Journey (gofundme.com)