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Lung Transplant Brings Two Families Together

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Two families, that were separated by distance, but became united as one. Frencesca Greco-Magee was in need of new lungs after she was born with pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that covered her lungs with holes. After being put on double waitlists at two separate hospitals, she moved down to Duke to improve her chances after more than 2 years of failed transplants. Then five days after moving, her prayers were answered and her new lungs came with a new family from Maryville, Tennessee, who just lost their son Bradley. She penned a thank you letter to Bradley’s family and started a connection they all hope will last a lifetime. Watch the full story from WATE-TV 6 News.

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Las Vegas man spreads awareness with story of life-saving liver transplant

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By Shawna Khalafi

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – In recognition of Father’s Day and Men’s Health Week, a Las Vegas dad is sharing his story of a life-saving organ transplant, in order to spread awareness and inspire other men to take their health seriously.

“My son and my wife had to rush me to Mountain View Hospital here in Las Vegas, and within 48 hours during that July 4th weekend, I found out that I had less than 30 days to live because I had end life liver failure,” said Angelo Reyes. Read the full story from KVVU-TV Fox 5 News in Las Vegas.

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One day on the field, admitted to the ICU the next: Rob’s liver transplant journey

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By Veronica Giarla

When you’re a teen, it’s not very common to worry about what’s going on inside your body — especially not about potential organ failure. For Rob, now 14 years old, that happened in the blink of an eye. One day, he was scoring goals in soccer and hanging out with his friends. But in just a matter of hours, he was in acute liver failure.

“Rob woke up feeling not himself,” remembers Rachel, Rob’s mom. “He had diarrhea, was lethargic, and was getting worse by the hour. By the afternoon, his eyes were turning yellow, and that’s when I knew we had to go to Boston Children’s Hospital.”
Read the full article from Boston Children’s Hospital.

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Local veteran uses second chance at life to bless others through bike donations

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By Sydni Eure

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — So you’re driving through Tonawanda and see a house with a few bikes out front and don’t think twice. That is until you then see some more bikes spread across the front yard. It isn’t until you you take a closer look and see that each bike is labeled with a number that you realize this isn’t something you see every day.

Well, Wendy Coyde, the woman who lined them up and labeled each and everyone says the process was as tedious as it looked.
Watch the full story from WKBW TV.

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The ultimate Father’s Day gift: Daughter donates lifesaving kidney to N.J. dad

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By Rob Jennings

Bill Hemstead expects to celebrate a Father’s Day this year unlike any other in his life.

His three adult daughters — who are scattered across the country in Wisconsin, Hawaii and Colorado — will all be joining him Sunday at their childhood home in West Milford along with Kathy, their mother and Hemstead’s wife of nearly 36 years.
Read the full story in NJ.com.

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In a time of grief, a stranger’s family gave him the ultimate gift

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By Brigid McCarthy, Laura Kwerel

This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team, about people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else.

A few years ago, Andy Davis and his wife decided to ride their bikes across the country. They spent months training and planning for their adventure.

But one day in February of 2020, just a few months before they were going to start, Davis felt an intense pain across his chest. After two Medevac flights and some time in the hospital, he was diagnosed with heart failure, a serious condition in which the heart can no longer pump blood efficiently. Read the full story from NPR.

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She’s survived cancer, heart failure and a heart transplant

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By Laura Williamson, American Heart Association News

When Dawn Mussallem was little, she dreamed of having her face on a Smucker’s jar – the recognition the “Today” show gives to people who reach their 100th birthday.

So, she committed herself to eating a healthy plant-based diet, eschewing junk food and many childhood staples, like chocolate milk and sugary cereals. She also stayed physically active – becoming a competitive gymnast and running on the weekends.
Read the full story in American Heart Association News.

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A Firefighter’s Life-Saving Double Lung Transplant

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By Alina Kesl

Albert Pedroza was energetic and active, but one day on a hike with his son, he experienced difficulty breathing. Fighting the inner voice in his head that told him to brush it off, he could think only of his family as he scheduled a doctor’s appointment to get checked out.

When Pedroza was told that he had scarring on his lungs likely caused by a previous case of pneumonia or asbestos exposure, he accepted the fact that he would experience periodic breathing difficulties. Read the full story from University Health.

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