MELISSA Townsend is certain that without the pair of lungs she was gifted with nearly three years ago she would be dead.
The former Armidale woman – who now lives in Tamworth – was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension in February, 2005.
Her health went downhill fast after the diagnosis.
Melissa received her new lungs that October – only a month after joining the transplant list.
She had initially rejected the idea she was ill, telling friends her shortness of breath was just a sign of being “a bit unfit”.
“I had trouble breathing,” Melissa said.
Primary pulmonary hypertension – which has been likened to “high blood pressure for the lungs” – would have killed Melissa if she had not received the transplant.
“I was lucky. When I was first put on the list they said we could be waiting for four months, or up to a year,” Melissa said.
“I was living in Armidale at the time. They said have a bag packed just in case and then the call came.”
Melissa’s transplant was carried out at Sydney’s St Vincent Hospital.
Remarkably she was only in hospital for three weeks.
“I had to live in Sydney for a few months afterwards because I had doctors’ appointments every day,” she said.
A university student at the time she was diagnosed, Melissa did not let the medical crisis prevent her from finishing her degree.
She has now moved to Tamworth where she works at the Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital.
A consequence of the transplant is that Melissa will need to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life. She has already lost an older brother to the condition and another brother has also had a lung
transplant.
Melissa has shared her story with The Leader readers to publicise an informal get together to promote interest in a North West Support Group for Transplant Australia. The function is to be held at Wests’ Diggers at 10.30am tomorrow.
Transplant Australia representatives will be in attendance.
Melissa said she thought a local support group would be an excellent idea.
Such a group would help the people of New England and the North-West become more aware of the benefits of organ donation.
“If it wasn’t for the person I got my lungs from I wouldn’t be here,” Melissa said.
It also helped to share common experiences with other transplant recipients.
While waiting to catch a plane to Sydney recently Melissa met a woman from Armidale who had also had a lung transplant.
“We ended up talking... and in the end we both missed the plane,” she said.
Transplant Australia said there were currently 3000 people (children and adults) on the official organ and tissue transplant waiting list.
They are in need of heart, kidney, lung, liver, pancreas or cornealtransplants.
An estimated one in five people waiting for a heart, lung or liver transplant will die before an organ becomes available.
The lives of up to 10 people can be dramatically improved by a single donor. The most frequently donated organs include kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and pancreas.
To register for tomorrow’s meeting call Karen Kennedy on 6742 2802.