Grendel,
50% is a pretty good number... and not sure what your decline is like.
Fundraising is a lot of work, time and effort and takes many people to do well. You and your wife should not take this on alone, get friends, family, co workers to help with the foot work and ideas.
Is it too early? It may be. When fundraising, you want to state the purpose and have a goal. Since you are not listed for a lung tx now, you cannot be "advertising" that you are listed or that you are in need of a lung tx, because no doctor has said you do.
But this would be a good time to come up with ideas, think of people to help out, get some books and read about fundraising, think about who will oversee the account. Also, do you need to raise money? Many people think immediately they need to raise money, because they hear others are doing it. But if you look at who is doing fundraising, it generally are people who have to relocate for tx, or those who's insurance will not cover many of the expenses etc. Fundraising for the sake of fundraising is not really ideal. So you need a reason, what your diagnosis is, you need to name the center you are listed at and an ability to advertise it truthfully. I hate to see you try to fund raise now and it does not get the success it can, because people are hesitant to to donate to anyone who does not have a set reason... then when the time truly came to fundraise, you have lost some potential donors.
I have had people fundraise for me, when I needed my lung tx ( I had to move 800 miles) and also I was part of my sisters fundraising committee when she needed lungs. It is a wonderful opportunity to make people aware of CF and organ donation and lung transplant. And the fun that goes into is just a benefit to all.
Let me know if I can be of help.
Joanne Schum
luckylungsforjo@aol.com
