More than $22,000 raised so far for Vankleek Hill man seeking second double-lung transplant

A local resident is awaiting their second double-lung transplant at the Toronto General Hospital (TGH) after years of complications following their initial transplant back in 2017. Danny Norris and his family are now facing both an uncertain medical timeline and mounting financial pressure as the family relocates to Toronto to support his care.

Norris, who has Cystic Fibrosis, was first given a double-lung transplant in 2017. According to his family, his body began rejecting the lungs within a year of the procedure. Despite this, he continued to live nearly eight more years through careful adherence to medical treatment and ongoing care.

He was admitted to hospital on March 16, 2026, and was later transferred to TGH at the end of March, where he is currently awaiting a second double-lung transplant. His family says the timing of the surgery remains uncertain.

Alongside the medical challenges, Norris’ family has been required to relocate to Toronto to meet strict treatment requirements. Patients awaiting transplants at TGH must live nearby for surgery eligibility and remain in the area for a mandatory three-month rehabilitation period following transplant.

The family says the cost of maintaining housing in Toronto is estimated to be more than $5,000 per month for a furnished apartment, combined with daily living expenses and ongoing costs at home, which has created significant financial strain.

In a GoFundMe campaign launched by his brother, Ricky James, who wrote that the family had been reluctant to seek public assistance again after previously receiving strong community support. However, he said the circumstances left them with little choice.

The campaign also outlines the family’s personal losses over the past year, including Norris’ wife Marie-Ève and his mother Jan, both of whom died last year. His father and brother have since moved to Toronto to act as his primary caregivers.

“Dad and I may be poor replacements, but with our two guardian angels guiding the way, the three of us are making it work, taking it one day at a time,” James said on the GoFundMe page.

Despite uncertainty around the timing of the transplant, the family says they remain focused on supporting Norris through what they describe as a critical and ongoing medical journey.

“Every little bit helps,” the fundraising page concludes.

As of Friday, May 8, $22,193 has been raised out of the $23,000 goal on the GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/danny-get-his-second-double-lung-transplant.