Transplant for Tracey (Canada) Lemon

TRANSPLANT FOR TRACEY (CANADA) LEMON #transplantfortracey

Those of you who have met or have known my little sister, know she is a dynamo and a spit fire. From the time she was born I have known she was special. At 4 years old I would sneak into her room and put my hands in her crib just to touch her and be near her energy. Tracey charged through school leading the way by being president of her class and making an impact on everyone she met. After school she served in the Army Reserves - all 4’ 11” and maybe 100 lbs. I still laugh when I imagine her in full gear. Later with her partner Steve, she built an extremely successful Real Estate team. They worked hard for years building their business which enabled them to sell the business. This allowed Tracey and her husband to “retire” to Costa Rica where they have spent the last several years running the Tortugas Bahai Tambor turtle rescue. Not only has she been patrolling nightly for nests, but she has been recruiting volunteers worldwide, educating volunteers and locals on preservation, conservation, and picking up tons of plastic waste- striving to teach everyone she meets to make the world a better place.

My sweet sister has always been an inspiration and has “bounced back” from many health setbacks with grace and strength. She developed Urticaria pigmentosa as an infant, she suffered from Grand Mal seizures and was treated for Epilepsy when she was in grade school, she was diagnosed as a Type-1 Diabetic in her 20’s, in her 30’s and 40’s she began losing her hearing and ultimately fought for and received Cochclear implants. With each new diagnosis she would fall down slightly but in no time pick herself up- I have watched in amazement as she has marched forward with grace and joy.

In January 2022, she had a “heart episode” that led to the diagnosis of Amyloidosis. This disease has caused her heart muscle to thicken. She has been fitted with a pacemaker to keep her heart pumping. During a Dr’s visit last week, it was confirmed that she is now in stage 2 heart failure and will need a heart transplant. #transplantfortracey

Tracey and her husband Rick are now forced to give up the Rescue they run, sell their home in Costa Rica and return to the US to start the arduous task of getting on a heart transplant recipient list. Did you know that once a person is on a transplant list – they must live with in 4 hours of the transplant hospital until the transplant is received- then they must live with in 1 hour for the year immediately following the transplant? The cost of the transplant alone is astronomical – let alone living expenses!

The world cannot afford to lose someone that has worked continuously to make it a better place. If you can find it in your heart- any gift – no matter how small- will go a long way to help pay her medical and living expenses before, during, and after the transplant. If you are unable to donate please consider sharing our story. Once she is back on her feet – We will all watch in amazement as she returns to making the world a better place!

For additional information:

Turtle rescue:

Tortugas Bahía Tambor - Home | Facebook

Amyloidosis:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amyloidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353178

#transplantfortracey