INDIANAPOLIS— Hoosier Jeanette Franklin is back raising funds for a new heart after a foundation’s closing left her with more questions than answers.
“Everyone’s money is gone and I don't see how they can do that to people,” Franklin said.
More than 15 years ago, Franklin was told she would need a heart transplant. After visiting The Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Franklin thought she had taken a step in the right direction.
Doctors in Tennessee agreed to move forward with the procedure, but Franklin needed to raise around $5,000 to cover additional expenses. The hospital recommended The National Foundation for Transplants to collect the money.
“They said that this foundation was better than GoFundMe because GoFundMe takes money from you, and this foundation wouldn't do that,” Franklin said. “I would get the money as soon as I had what the hospital needed and it would go straight to the hospital.”
After collecting more than $2,500 from friends and family, Franklin learned the foundation would cease operations in April 2024. The money she had family and friends donatd on her behalf would not be returned.
“Even though I only had $2,500 in it, it took me over a year to get that $2,500, and now I have to start all over back at zero to go to the $5,000, and each year I get worse,” Franklin explained.
WRTV attempted to contact The National Foundation for Transplants by phone and email. The phone line was disconnected. WRTV received an automatic reply email note that read:
“No individual donor or patient has a property interest in donations made to NFT. As has been disclosed throughout National Foundation for Transplants materials and fundraising appeals, all contributions made to NFT in support of our patient services are made as unrestricted donations to NFT and not to any specific individual.”
Courtney Tillotta of the Indiana Donor Network said she had never heard of the foundation.
“I’ve been here for 21 years, and I don't even have any working knowledge of that organization," Tillotta said.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center released the following statement to WRTV:
“Each patient is provided with information on various fundraising organizations. Each patient is counseled that funds received by each organization are considered charitable contributions to the organization, and not specifically the patient’s money. It is our understanding that these funds are earmarked for each individual patient. Each organization has specific criteria defining which expenses can be covered by the organization. VUMC Social work counsels each patient to review the terms of distribution for each organization. VUMC provides information on other fundraising organizations including Help Hope Live, GA Transplant Foundation, COTA”
Meanwhile, Franklin hopes this doesn’t happen to anyone else.
“Check out the foundation that you go with," Franklin said. "Even though you get word of mouth from the person at the hospital saying go with this person, just check it out yourself.”
Franklin's church is hosting a yard sale to help raise money to cover her health expenses. That sale is running every day through this weekend at The Indianapolis Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene on Sumner Avenue.
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