Terri Pilawa had a Double Lung Transplant Recipient. Diagnosed with NSIP Pulmonary Fibrosis. Her journey began when she married her husband August of 2009; she was short of breath. She was a professional working in accounting management; she went to the gym and was very active living her life with her new husband and teenage son. One day, she couldn’t work anymore and was on oxygen 24/7, her life was being taken over by this disease, that takes your breath away. She was told that there’s no cure for this disease, that she would need a lifesaving organ transplant to survive. She would have never thought that she would need a lifesaving transplant, knowing that she was an Organ Donor herself, saying yes to donation at the age of 18, devasted, she was a newlywed with Son in High School. Now, she had to fight for my life! She decided that she was going to do whatever it took for me to get on the transplant list. She worked hard, going to pulmonary rehab to lose weight and stay healthy. She was listed at USC Keck Medical Center, and she waited nine months some of that time in the hospital and hospice because she needed so much oxygen support at times on high flow at 80 liters. She was scared and unsure of my future. She had great faith and prayed that donor lungs would be available for me. On the evening of June 23, 2015, she was in the hospital with her husband, her surgeon called and told her she had Donor’s lungs. She was so grateful for her second chance of life, but her heartache as she knew that a family just lost their loved one. June 24, she was in surgery. Today, She is living her life to the fullest with her family and friends. She’s an OneLegacy Ambassador, a Nevada Donor Network Advocate, 2020 Donate Life Rose Parade Float Rider, and CEO of One Breath Foundation. She also met my Donor Family in April 2019. She learned that her Donor’s name is Maria Quintero form, Los Angeles. She was 22 years old, who passed away due to a drug overdose. Her Mom told her she had already made that decision to help others if anything were to happen to her. She hopes the Donor Maria is proud. She will continue to serve her community by educating them about Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation and sharing my transplant journey to inspire them to say yes to donation and register. She’ll be forever grateful to have received a beautiful gift a second chance of life.

You can contact Terri Pilawa on all of her social media pages.

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