Emergency Fundraiser for my Brother Salim

This fundraiser is for my brother Salim, who has Stage 4 Liver Cirrhosis – a fatal condition where without a liver transplant soon, he will die.

Cirrhosis can be quite exhausting/taxing both physically & medically, especially when compounded by diabetes. Several stays in the hospital the last few months (most recently due to sepsis) has taken it’s toll on his body.

This fundraiser is to help cover the cost of his rent, monthly bills, food & medication. Salim has had to take a considerable amount of time off from work (which itself can be financially stressful for anyone) Even in a country with universal healthcare, serious illness can be financially challenging to navigate.

I want to make sure that the last thing he has to worry about are his finances. His primary job, while we search for a living liver donor, is to stay alive - I want all of his energy to be focused on that.

We are optimistic that he will receive a liver transplant from a living donor. And when this happens, he’ll need several weeks of rest & recovery.

One of the strengths of our community is when one of us is ailing, we can always count on others to be there to assist in a time of need (& faith grants us the opportunity to serve) We lift each other up when one of us is in danger of falling.

So this is an opportunity – to lift someone up, to save his life & become a stronger community in doing so.

If you have any questions, please email us at findsalimaliver@gmail.com & we thank you for your support.

Update: April 6th, 2025

The financial situation for Salim has become extremely difficult & dire. His place of employment placed him on long-term disability almost a year ago & it’s taken a toll on him both financially & emotionally.

This move means he will now be paid even less & instead of every couple of weeks, he’s now paid a diminished amount once a month, at the end of every month. The amount he is being paid monthly isn’t even enough to cover his rent, let alone any other expenses.

What this means is he can’t go and buy groceries every week or so, and has to wait for that monthly deposit & he also can’t pay for his medication in a timely fashion. Even if a percentage of his medication costs are covered, there’s nothing in the bank to pay for that medication up front in the first place.

If you’ve helped him before, we’re extremely grateful. We’re asking you again to support him as he hopefully gets closer to a liver transplant to save his life.

In terms of his health, he has been approved to have cataract surgery to save his sight. Throughout this time, Salim’s sight has degraded greatly. It would be a challenge to read what you’re reading here right now. The surgery is scheduled to take place at Mount Sinai hospital here in Toronto, in June.

In terms of his liver, his MELD score is stable, for now. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is a scoring system that helps determine how urgently you need a liver transplant within the next 90 days. Transplant centers use the MELD score as one factor to prioritize who gets a liver transplant.

A MELD score gives you a number result — from six to 40. A higher score means you’re very sick with liver disease. People with higher MELD scores tend to be higher on the transplant waiting list because they have a higher risk of death (mortality).

Salim has been on the waiting list for a liver transplant for over a year. His MELD score prevents him from receiving a liver donation from a deceased individual at the present time. His quality of life has degraded to such an extent, a living liver donor is the only way to alleviate his suffering.

With that in mind, we’re planning a nationwide living donor drive for not just Salim, but anyone requiring of a liver or kidney transplant to save their life. With the proper coordination & volunteer assistance, we can do this for so many people in Canada. Bookmark this page and keep an eye out for updates on how we can achieve this.

If you feel compelled to support Salim through his fundraiser, the link is here: Fundraiser For Salim's Liver Tranplant