A new Heart for Sarah

From Sarah's family:
What this is for –Sarah has not been able to work full time in quite a while, missing time from work on a fairly regular basis.   Sarah is extremely fortunate to have medical coverage, but there are still many costs involved, and let’s just  say it is not a small amount of medication you are on after a heart transplant.  Every penny raised by this will go directly towards covering medical bills, insurance premiums, prescription costs and travel costs related to visiting her doctors in Chicago.

We are beyond grateful to have so many people reach out and let her know how happy they are for her. We appreciate your time reading this.  Also please keep the donor’s family in your thoughts.  Thank you!

Sarah’s Story:
On April 19 th , 2019 at about 3 in the afternoon I received a phone call. This call was going to change my life, for the better, for the rest of my life. The call was – they had a heart for me. Just a few weeks short of  4 years to the day that was diagnosed with heart failure. Early in the morning on April 20 th  2019 I underwent a heart transplant under the care of all the amazing people at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Heart failure is a disease without a fancy name, the name also tells you exactly what is happening. Your heart is failing. Your body is failing. To say the last 4 years have been hard and some of the most challenging days I have ever experienced is an understatement. I’ve lost track of the number of hospital stays and doctor visits. I’ve lost track of the number of dinners with friends, birthday parties or other events I’ve missed as well. I’ve also had to partially walk away from one of the biggest passions in my life at the time – coaching kids. Throughout my life, team sports have been a huge part of me. From playing basketball, volleyball, softball all through college to continuing to pass this love for the game on
to the tremendous student athletes at Batavia High School. As this disease progressed, my involvement in everything I loved regressed.
As of a Saturday morning a few weeks back when an absolute hero to me made the incredibly selfless act of being an organ donor – I now have a second chance. I have a chance to keep fighting to make the most of each and every day. I have a chance to rediscover my passions in a way that has been so limited over the last few years. So far, a couple weeks in, things have been going good! My doctors are very happy with my progress and to say I am starting to feel more and more like my old self every day is an understatement!

I will make the most of this chance each and every day, not just me, but to honor the family of my hero, the donor of my heart.