Recipient

Born with a terminal lung disease, cystic fibrosis, the doctors didn’t think I would live past my 30th birthday. At 43 years old, I am beating the odds every day. Throughout my life, I was a healthy, energetic and positive person who loved my life and the people in it. I worked hard to remain healthy-hours of daily respiratory treatments, hospitalizations, exercise and dozens of daily pills kept me on my path of conquering this disease.

In my 30’s, I met my future husband and during the wedding planning process, my disease became worse. I ended up on oxygen 24 hours a day, months of hospitalizations and began the process of being evaluated for a double lung transplant. In February 2015, I was placed on the list at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. After 9 long months, on November 10, 2015, I received my “gift of life” - 2 beautiful new lungs from my angel donor. That day, my life changed forever.

Although I was in a coma for almost a month, experienced many complications, including being on a ventilator for 65 days, I walked out of the hospital on my own on day 71 and never looked back!

Ever since that day, life has been an amazing adventure! My husband and I, and our 2 dogs, have lived life to the fullest! - while still following all the “transplant rules”. I’ve traveled, my husband and I bought our dream home, I’ve run a half marathon, I’m writing a book about my transplant experience, educated others about organ donation and started a new career in the real estate field, all because of the selfless decision my donor made of becoming an organ donor. Besides me, he saved seven other people and I hope they are as grateful as I am for the gift he has given us.

Life is precious. As an organ recipient, I feel that every day. I am grateful for waking up every morning, taking a deep breath and thanking my angel for making it possible. By making the decision of becoming an organ donor, you too can change someone’s life forever, like my donor changed mine.