On August 20, 1964 I was born to my loving parents Albert & Lana and my 1 and a half year old brother Randy. When I was 6 months old I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. My brother Randy was also afflicted with CF at birth, needless to say , we were not your typical family.

As a child I spent a lot of time at doctor appointments and hospital visits. Between my brother and myself, it seemed as though we were always going to some kind of medical appointment. Unfortunately at the age of 6 years old my brother Randy passed away from Cystic Fibrosis.

Even though the doctors did not give me a long life expectancy, here I am still kicking at age 52.  I have been really lucky when it came to my health and Cystic Fibrosis. I did not have to spend much time in the hospital as a child. It was not until I entered my thirties that my body started showing the true effects of the “Beast” called Cystic Fibrosis.

Lucky for me again, In my late “20's” I found my soulmate Michael a couple of  years later wedding bells were heard.  We had so much fun being married we thought hey lets add on.  Mitchell our smart and handsome son graced with his presence. Life for us was pretty normal, we both worked full-time jobs and Mitchell did lots of kid stuff.  CF was always looming over our lives.  Trying to  keep up with breathing treatment schedules and work schedule were hard.  Again, lucky for me I had great bosses who gave me plenty flexibility. But even with all the flexibility in the world CF does not stop.

When my 40's hit and they did hit they Hit Me!  At this point my world starts to crumble.  I lost my best beautiful friend, my mother Lana passed away.  My life changed from being able to live a some what normal life to  long hospital stays due to lung infections and exasperation.  So I had to stop working and and I became disabled.

Life has slowed down a lot, I am now on oxygen, I am not breathing well at all. I am spending even more time in the hospital away from my family.  It is decided that it is time to start thinking about and looking into a double lung transplant.  It is at this point that it is found that I had Ovarian Cancer.  Well I made it to 50 and find out that it may not be Cystic Fibrosis that takes me out it might be Cancer!!!  Again, lucky for me that it was found extremely early and the doctors were able to remove the cancer.

The surgeries to remove the cancer were exremely difficult on my lungs.  I am now on oxygen 24/7 and life is even slower.   So no more looking and thinking about a lung transplant it is time to get the transplant.  

Sweet lets get some new lungs but the problem is most transplant centers require their patients to be cancer free for minimum of 5 years.  So the CF Doctors search for a center that would take me after being cancer free for 2 years and yes one exist. WooooHooo!!!

So as I am telling my story I can only hope that at this time next I will be breathing with New Lungs For Cathy!

NEW LUNGS FOR CATHY