The Edgar Lions Club annual Pancake Feed, set to take place from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, will benefit Riley (Shuck) Benes, to help with medical costs relating to a long battle with heart issues.
As shared by Benes’ sister Norrisa Flores on GoFund-Me, Benes was placed on the heart transplant list in June/ July 2024 following a heart attack, multiple stents, a quintuple bypass—a surgery where five healthy blood vessels are used to create new pathways around five blocked coronary arteries— and more stents being put in over several years.
On Aug. 15, 2024, Benes received news that she was receiving a new heart and on Aug. 16, at UNMC in Omaha, she had transplant surgery.
The transplant was a success, however, there were complications resulting in Benes needing to be on a ventilator and dialysis. Eventually, she required a tracheostomy—a procedure that creates an opening in the front of the throat so that a tube can be inserted as an airway for breathing. This allows her to breathe without a ventilator.
Following these surgeries, Benes does not have feeling below her left knee due to nerve damage as a result of being on the bypass machine, and requires a walker or wheelchair to get around.
All proceeds from the pancake feed will go to help with medical costs and help offset daily costs as she recovers and as she and her husband, Brandon, have had to miss work during her surgeries.
The pancake feed will be hosted at the community center, and is freewill donation.
