Fundraiser Set Up For N. Plainfield Woman With Liver Transplant

NORTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — North Plainfield local and Westfield Public School teacher, Maggie Grabko, recently underwent a lifesaving liver transplant and now the community is coming together to help her family cover expenses.

A fundraiser and a meal train have been set up to help Grabko's family which includes her husband Shawn and two young children Will and Ella in North Plainfield.

Grabo was diagnosed with liver disease in April after having some medical issues with fluid buildup in her abdomen. After a few days, she went to Overlook Medical Center where she was diagnosed and also found it was causing distress to her kidneys, according to the gofundme site.

She eventually was admitted to Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City for more acute care. She began dialysis and later went back home. However, her symptoms worsened and was taken to Columbia Presbyterian in New York City where it was determined she needed a full liver transplant.

Grabko underwent the transplant on June 14 and is now is recovery.

"Folks its true miracles do happen," Shawn wrote on the gofundme site on Sunday. "The feeling of having my wife/mother of our two amazing kids back and on the road to recovery is beyond words... Shes up eating and walking around and taking, all the steps to an amazing recovery. We still have a long road ahead but we have taken a tremendous step forward."

However, the mounting medical bills, all of which are not covered by insurance, are causing serious strain to the family of four. Additionally since Grabko does not have any paid time off since she only started working at Westfield Public Schools this year.

"Like most who have to deal with a crisis, we never imagined being in this position and certainly weren’t prepared financially for what was to come. We don’t live in a grand house, we don’t take elaborate vacations and we spend most time trying to find a way to make ends meet to cover basic expenses," Shawn wrote on the gofundme page. "Sadly, this has totally exhausted all of our resources... In the effort to pay the mounting medical bills, after care for the kids among other things, we are getting to a point where we have exhausted all of our reserves and need help financially. While certainly a humbling experience, please help."

To donate to the gofundme page click here.

Additionally, the Watchung Hills Elks are helping out the family since both Shawn and Maggie are very active members. Shawn has helped prepare food for various of the Elks' functions.

The Elks are hosting a spaghetti dinner to benefit the family on Sunday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the lodge at 1 Elks Trail in Warren. The dinner will include spaghetti with meatballs, ziti, Romaine Mandarin salad, Italian bread, zucchini, Parmesan and assorted desserts. All beverages available at extra cost at cash-bar.

This event is open to the public. Live music courtesy of J Michael Raber. Seats cost $10 each at the door, cash only. For more information on the spaghetti dinner visit the Facebook event page here or the Watchung Hills Elks page here.

A meal train has also been set up to help the family provide dinners while Grabko is recovering. To learn more about the meal train click here.

(Photo: Maggie Grabko, courtesy of Gofundme, a promotional partner of Patch)

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