GoFundMe account established to help the longtime community volunteer get a lifesaving lung transplant

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has given back to his community more than Newberg resident Bart Rierson.

Nine years on the Newberg City Council; eight years on the Chehalem Park and Recreation District board of directors; a member of the budget committees for the city, school district and park district; a spot on the Newberg planning commission; an integral part of the Ford Family Foundation effort to create and maintain the Chehalem Paddle Launch in Dundee, and many, many other volunteer posts.

But now Rierson is humbly looking for something in return: a new lease on life.

“While we enjoy helping others, we have learned it has been hard for us to ask for help,” his wife, Michelle Rierson, said in a post on the GoFundMe account set up to aid the family, “Help Bart Rierson Breathe Again.”

Bart Rierson, 67, has been diagnosed with a rare lung malady called pulmonary fibrosis, described in medical journals as a progressive disease characterized by scarring and thickening of lung tissue that makes it difficult to breathe.

Rierson was first diagnosed with the disease in late 2023 after suffering from a chronic cough. The disease has progressed steadily since, despite pulmonary therapy and medication. 

“It is hard to tell if this was helpful or not,” Michelle Rierson said in an email.

There is only one possible cure for pulmonary fibrosis — a lung transplant, as life expectancy without one is three to five years after the diagnosis.

“In November, Bart’s pulmonologist sent a message stating that his condition had progressed and we should start preparing for end-of-life,” Michelle Rierson said.

The pulmonologist informed the couple that Bart Rierson would not qualify for a lung transplant because he was more than 65 years old, but added that the family might seek a second opinion.

“We contacted the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle,” Michelle Rierson said. “After months of testing, both places said Bart did qualify and was a good candidate for a lung transplant.”

In February, Bart Rierson joined the thousands of individuals hoping for a donor organ listed on the United Network for Organ Sharing. Either a single or a double-lung transplant could add years to his life.

“There is no way to tell how long before the transplant will happen,” Michelle Rierson said. “We could get a call in five minutes or in months.”

But medical insurance being what it is, the procedure should a lung become available can cause immense financial hardship for those undergoing the transplant.

So family and friends have started the GoFundMe account to try to mitigate some of what Michelle Rierson termed the “overwhelming” expenses not covered by insurance: pre-transplant evaluations, recovery, travel to the transplant center, temporary relocation and lifelong anti-rejection medications.

“There are deductibles, copays, medications, travel expenses and temporary relocation living expenses that are not covered by insurance,” Michelle Rierson said. “After the transplant, we will need to relocate to be near the hospital for at least four months. … These expenses can easily exceed $100,000 and insurance only covers part of it.”

The GoFundMe account (gofundme.com/f/help-bart-rierson-breathe-again) has raised $12,808 as of May 19 via 79 donations, most in the $50 to $100 range. The goal is to raise at least $15,000.

“We have been humbled by the support we have received,” the couple said.

Cause of disease unknown

Medical research has not yet determined a definitive cause for pulmonary fibrosis, but Rierson’s exposure to industrial contaminants such as welding fumes, metal grinding dust and solvents while working as a welder and machinist for a local company could have led to development of the disease, Michelle Rierson said.

Bart Rierson retired in November 2024 following the diagnosis. Michelle Rierson also took early retirement from teaching in the Newberg-Dundee school district to care for her husband.

An active life no longer

Fond of outdoor recreation, Bart Rierson could be seen nearly every weekend checking out gear and advocating for the outdoors at the paddle launch in Dundee. The disease has put an end to his ability to get outside.

“We have always enjoyed outdoor activities, hiking, cycling and canoeing,” Michelle Rierson said. “Due to his oxygen needs, he is no longer able to do these activities. Not being able to be active has been very hard for Bart.”

A difficult journey and a plea for help

Michelle Rierson reiterated that the “the journey to this point has not been easy.”

“Bart has shown immense courage, enduring the physical and emotional toll of living with pulmonary fibrosis,” she added. “Now, doctors have confirmed his condition has worsened to the point where a lung transplant is now the only option for survival.

“We are humbly asking for your support. Every dollar brings us closer to giving Bart a second chance at life — a chance to breathe freely again, to spend more time with loved ones and to experience moments many of us take for granted.”