Morgan’s Army ready for battle, continues to grow
Morgan Yoney
Waynesburg Borough Police have put a message on the rear windows of three police vehicles to bring attention to Morgan Yoney’s need for a double lung transplant. From left: Chief Rob Toth and Officers Tom Ankrom and Shawn Wood. (Courtesy of Waynesburg Borough)
Nashville recording artists Branch and Dean will perform on Saturday, April 29 at The Perfect Round, formerly Rohanna’s, in Waynesburg to help raise money for a double lung transplant for Morgan Yoney of Spraggs.
This profile photo of Morgan Yoney can be found on the Morgan’s Army Facebook page. Facebookers are encouraged to download the profile picture to their own Facebook page and show their support for her.
WAYNESBURG – Tammy Yoney finds herself overwhelmed by the incredible support her 21-year-old daughter, Morgan, is receiving while she anxiously and prayerfully awaits a second lifesaving double lung transplant.
Morgan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 9 months old and for much of her life, she did quite well. But when she was 12 years old she lost a lot of her lung function and on Jan. 15, 2010, Morgan had a double lung and liver transplant at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
However, in May 2013, she took a turn for the worse and was diagnosed with humeral rejection of the lungs and steroidal rejection of the liver. Her liver recovered but her lungs did not.
And now she is in desperate need of a second double lung transplant, and her story is reaching far beyond the hamlet of Spraggs in Greene County where she and her parents live.
After local media published her story in early spring this year, her plight and fight was soon picked up by Pittsburgh television markets. Morgan’s Facebook page was filled with supportive postings and photos and soon a Morgan’s Army page was created.
There have been several fundraising events to help the Yoneys cover their medical bills and anything else they may need.
The next event is scheduled April 29 at The Perfect Round, formally known as Rohanna’s, on Rolling Meadows Road in Waynesburg.
Scheduled to perform are (Steve) Branch and (Marlon) Dean, Nashville recording artists who are national celebrity ambassadors for Cystic Fibrosis. Branch’s son lost his battle to Cystic Fibrosis and the singing duo has traveled nationwide raising awareness and hundreds of thousands of dollars for Cystic Fibrosis research.
Also scheduled to perform at the event are Drew Johnson and the Coleman Lee Band.
Cost for the event is $10 for general admission and $15 VIP admission, which entitles the latter to a meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. before the show begins at 8 p.m.
“It’s just incredible to see the support from people taking time out of their day to give Morgan well wishes and pray for her,” Tammy Yoney said.
Signs with O+ Lungs Needed for Morgan Yoney are appearing throughout Greene County and elsewhere, including on the rear windows of three Waynesburg Borough police vehicles.
Waynesburg police Officer Tom Ankrom asked Chief Rob Toth if they could put the message on the vehicles and he gave his blessing.
“We have been following Morgan’s Army since 2011,” Ankrom said, “and this is our way to show support through a mobile billboard. We need to spread the word about organ and direct donations for her,” he said. And Toth said, “This is not about us; it’s about her.”
Meanwhile, on Facebook the supporters show no signs of letting up their dedication to this cause, especially after the following message appeared on the Morgan’s Army page:
“We are on the ‘Hunt for Lungs’ and it is a race against time to hunt down a set of O+ Lungs for … Morgan Yoney … who is awaiting her second double lung transplant. It has been 600 days since she has been put on the transplant list and she is in dire need of O+ lungs to survive! Her lung function is at 19 percent and dropping. If you know anyone with a connection, please encourage them to make a direct donation by contacting Morgan’s Army on Facebook.
We need to spread her message across the U.S. on signs via businesses, residential areas and on cars. The Message is ‘O+ Lungs needed for Morgan Yoney.’ If we can create a large enough awareness, we may see a modern day miracle.”
Following that post, a number of individuals, businesses and organizations too numerous to count have joined Morgan’s Army. People have posted information on how to contact local and national television news and talk shows to spread the message, and photographs are being posted daily of people who are holding signs, as well as businesses and cars with signs and messages asking others for support.
Pittsburgh news stations KDKA and WTAE have featured Morgan and her story, and word continues to quickly spread.
A powerful photograph can also be seen on Facebook and elsewhere online, including www.globalsisterhoodonline.org, that depicts Morgan Yoney with her oxygen tank and the phrase, “I breathe in my courage … and exhale my fear.”