22-year-old Needs Lung Transplant to Live

Cody Sheets, 22, has been living with Cystic Fibrosis, but doctors say to continue living he will need a lung transplant. The family says even with insurance, they can't afford the transplant without help.  

Friday, May 29th 2009, 6:47 pm

By: News 9


By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma man isn't just fighting for his life he is fighting for your help. Cody Sheets, 22, has been living with Cystic Fibrosis, but doctors say to continue living he will need a lung transplant.

The family says even with insurance the lung transplant and doctor bills will cost them upwards of half of a million dollars, money they simply can't afford on their own.

"It just takes a lot out of your day," Cody Sheets said. "Finally I could tell it was getting worse everywhere, getting sick easier, feeling bad the whole day."

Cody suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, a life-threatening disease that has caused his lungs to fill up more and more with mucus. It's gotten so bad that Cody had to be hospitalized for nearly a month, and learned he would need oxygen around the clock and a lung transplant to survive.

"You have mixed emotions. You're happy on one end. We're here now. We're going to get a new set of lungs. Then on the other hand you realize the trial and tribulations you face at the same time," said Cody's dad Scott Sheets.

Until recently, Cody kept his disease a secret. Finally he decided to share his story on MySpace.

"I would get more and more questions like ‘Why aren't you coming out? Why don't you want to hang out?'" Cody said. "I just got tired of the same questions."

That's when Cody's friends, who share his passion for cars, decided to host a fundraiser to help the family with medical bills, an event the family said is getting support from people they've never met.

"They have just humbled me because they don't know my kid. They just feel it in their heart this is the right thing to do," said Cody's mom Terrie Morris.

Before Cody can get on the list for a transplant, his family said he still needs to gain eight pounds by July, if not he will need to have a feeding tube.

This weekend is the "Cars Can Save Lives" car show to help raise money for Cody's lung transplant. The event is at Eldon Lyon Park in Bethany. Call or email Terrie for more information, 265-1563 or tmorris82@cox.net.

You can also send donations to the FAA Credit Union in Mustang, where the family has a fund set up for Cody.

Learn more about the dessert fundraiser the Sheets family is also hosting June 15.

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