Kirk- Double Lung recipient

The miracle I’ve been given starts with thanking God, my donor, my family and my doctors, surgeons and nurses. To once again use my legs to walk anywhere, to climb the stairs again or just go to the grocery is the greatest gift I have ever been given.

I was a marathoner, long distance swimmer and workout enthusiast. In less than a year I went from being a man full of pride, to an invalid that could barely make it to the bathroom. I suffered from a disease called Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. There is no cure and is a terminal disease that attacks the lungs and slowly takes away your body’s ability to make oxygen for yourself and to live a normal life. Without a lung transplant I had less than a year to live.

Because of the miracle I’ve been given I would like to pay it forward and raise awareness for organ donation. Everyday 20 people die waiting for a life saving organ. We can do better than this! There is no greater gift than the gift of life. I received that miracle and it literally saved my life. I am back in the pool swimming as much as 2 miles at a time and now will be watching my grandchildren grow up and be part of their lives.

Organ donors are hero’s and we need all we can get. Just imagine if this was a member of your own family and he or she needed this miracle in order to survive and continue to live. Just 1 donor can save the lives of as many as 8 people. If you haven’t considered becoming an organ donor before then I urge you to become one now!