Nonprofit Leaves Nashua Resident Scrambling to Cover Medical Bills

Memphis Charity National Foundation for Transplants ceased operations following an April 8 announcement that it was closing, after 41 years of service, came without warning, shocking many. The organization was responsible for helping thousands of people pay for organ transplants.
In an official statement, NFT said it was closing down due to post-pandemic economic strain “compounded by inflation impacts on the healthcare sector, increasingly higher operational costs, and a decrease in fundraising.”
The abrupt shutdown led to uncertainty for many patients who had relied on the organization to help pay for transplants, including Nashua resident, Jason Stecchi Jr., who raised nearly $20,000 through the organization in his name with the help of his family and local residents. The funds were designed to cover ongoing expenses.
Jason “was born with a tumor located on his neck, which paralyzed his left lung and vocal cord” according to his mother, Caroline Stecchi. As a result, Jason lived with only one functional lung for most of his life, and was eventually left on disability with an oxygen machine “connected to him 24/7” as his remaining lung struggled to compensate by age 29.
According to his mother, Jason was always susceptible to illness, including a bout of respiratory syncytial virus and the growing risk from the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the need for a double lung transplant last New Year’s Eve.
However, the transplant did not mean an end to ongoing costs related to medication and the need to travel to Massachusetts General in Boston for follow-up appointments, all of which proved expensive.
“Everything’s gone,” said Caroline, referring to money raised using peer-to-peer fundraising through. “They shut down and nobody has access to any of the money.”
Caroline accused NFT of hurting the people who claimed to help with their refusal to offer direct access to donations made for a specific patient.
“They’re messing up everybody’s lives,” said Caroline, adding that NFT never reached out to her.
The Stecchi family still has a GoFundMe page and an account at St. Mary’s Bank for donations.
According to the official NFT website, no patient working with the company had any “personal ownership or financial account” related to funds raised and claimed it had “discretionary use to support its mission.”
“NFT remains committed to offering support throughout this transition period until April 30th, 2024,” the group stated on its FAQ page. “This deadline is crucial for us to efficiently do our best in allocating resources and provide the necessary support. If your grant is approved in whole or in part, you can expect to receive it in May 2024.”
It was unclear how many people who raised money through NFT have received a full or partial grant, nor is it clear what would happen to the remaining funds after the April deadline.
NFT did not respond to a request for more information.

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