How quickly life can change! My husband Brad was working as a Pastor for the Lutheran church for many years. Brad was healthy all his life. He was active, a good weight, never smoked and lived a healthy life. And then, Brad begun to feel ill with coughing and great fatigue. You never imagine something like this could happen.
A visit to the doctor and many, many tests later, Brad was diagnosed in 2022 with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). A terrifying diagnosis as the only cure for this horrible debilitating disease is a lung transplant. Brad’s health begun to deteriorate with shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and inability to carry on the daily activities of life. Then, late in 2023, Brad was placed on the lung transplant list.
Because there are so many unknowns with this process, my biggest concern was would he get new lungs and when would that be? On top of medical issues, the thought of relocating to Edmonton for the transplant and leaving our home, our family, and the support of our community was daunting.
We were told we could be spending weeks and maybe months in Edmonton away from our big family. Where would I stay? Not knowing Edmonton, getting around the city, buying food and having a safe and secure place for me to stay in. And how could we afford it? I wasn’t working and Brad had been unable to work for well over a year.
Thankfully, Alberta Lung stepped in.
They provided the accommodations necessary and in May we left our home in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Brad received his transplant! Thanks to the generosity of Alberta Lung donors, I had a safe place to stay in, a welcome relief to the hearts and minds of so many of our family and friends back home.
Having a place to stay has allowed me to feel like I have a home away from home. The accommodations have enabled me to make my own food to take with me as I spend my days at the hospital, to know I have a place where I can wash my clothes and a place where I can have a quiet peaceful rest at night and feel safe and secure.
You can imagine the financial impact on a person being away from home for that length of time. Just the thought of having to stay in a hotel room or dorm for 6-9 months and the burden of that cost is overwhelming. I was so relieved to have Alberta Lung provide accommodations and take the stress and worry away, and just for us to be able to think of Brad and his recovery and not finances. For that I am extremely grateful.
I know the Alberta Lung has a very long history, over 85 years providing support and services in Alberta and that they hope to build a large facility called Breathing Space so more people can be helped. What I would like to share with their supporters is the impact thtat your generosity to Alberta Lung Association has had on our family. I am so grateful and building a larger facility would help more people. Your support will help build the vision of this amazing facility and help support so many families.
This year, Alberta Lung has partnered with artists from Chrysalis: An Alberta Society for Citizens with Disabilities to create the holiday seals included with this appeal.
Chrysalis supports adults with disabilities, some living with conditions such as sleep apnea, COPD, asthma, and Down syndrome and autism.
Please don’t forget your holiday season donation in support of Alberta Lung to help those fighting for every breath they take.
Happy Holidays!
Heidi S, caregiver to Brad