Drew Stines with parents Nathan and Donna
Fifteen-year-old Drew Stines likes fishing, playing baseball and watching baseball, particularly when the Cubs are playing.
When a friend of Drew’s father, Nathan Burns, opened Grand Slam Collectibles in Murfreesboro, Drew began writing to Burns, who started sending him baseball cards, launching an enjoyable hobby. Drew and his father, Jackson (TN) police officer Jeremy Stines, would also come into town to visit the store occasionally.
“Nathan got Drew into collecting,” the elder Stines says. “We’ve known each other a long time, and when Nathan started his store, Drew really got into it. Nathan and I went to school together in Huntingdon, Tennessee. I can’t say enough about him.”
“Drew is a huge Cubs fan and a normal kid,” Burns says. “But he’s been having health issues, so it has gotten to the point now where he needs a liver transplant, and we are just trying to help him out.”
Drew has had medical issues most of his life, says Drew’s mom, Donna Stines, who works for the American Cancer Society. “Nathan is very generous, and when he saw Drew was listed for a transplant, he decided to help.”
He started a GoFundMe page for Drew and matched the first $5,000 in donations with his own $5,000 donation. As of late June, the fundraiser is about halfway to the $25,000 goal to help Drew and his family.
“I’m thankful to Nathan and everyone for helping,” Drew’s dad says.
Donna Stines says her son has seen many specialists from Vanderbilt to St. Jude and now to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he will stay for six to eight weeks for his transplant. The cause of Drew’s condition has always been a kind of medical mystery, she says. He is also being sent to the National Institute of Health for an opinion.
Drew has been diagnosed with a rare condition called non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. He has an enlarged spleen and liver issues, Stines says.
Portal hypertension is an increase in blood pressure within the vein system, due to blocked veins in the liver from liver damage. It is usually caused by cirrhosis, which is scarring from hepatitis, alcohol or uncommon causes, according to information from WebMD. In Drew’s case, it is not caused by cirrhosis and the cause is unknown.
The increased blood pressure can lead to swollen veins, which can rupture or bleed and be life threatening, according to the WebMD website.
“It has caused his legs to swell, which is the biggest thing for a teenage kid to deal with, and his liver is not well,” Donna says. “We are at the point where he needs to get the transplant before things get worse.”
Drew is starting high school this fall. Because his legs swell and the condition also makes it hard for his body to use protein, Drew did not try out for the high school baseball team.
“He loves baseball and has played until this year,” Drew’s dad, Jeremy, says. “It is harder to compete because of the liver issue. He also loves fishing and hunting, so he is going to be on the bass fishing team.”
Eric Holt of Eagleville is an old friend of Jeremy’s, and Drew is his godson.
“He is a wonderful young man,” Holt says. “He has a lot of faith that this transplant will help. No one wants to go through these health problems, but Drew has a good heart and mind about it.”
Drew’s GoFundMe page is at gofundme.com/little-help-for-drew-the-son-of-a-police-officer.
There are as many as 7,000 rare diseases or conditions worldwide. Rare diseases as a whole affect about 25 million people in the United States and about 400 million worldwide, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which works to control and prevent infections and chronic diseases.
