“I think a lot of us organ recipients, we go through the grieving process ourselves. It's almost like a survivor's guilt. But we are so grateful for people choosing to give that gift," said Ginny Fagerstrom.
Meet Ginny Fagerstrom who is an organ recipient.
“I had a disease and was diagnosed in 2006, which was pulmonary hypertension. And it was pretty severe," said Fagerstrom.
In 2017, Ginny’s health started to decline and started to experience symptoms.
“Shortness of breath, inability to walk very far. I needed to be on full-time oxygen and several different medications," says said Fagerstrom.
Doctors recommended a lung transplant.
“I went through several pre-transplant tests, and I started on the wait list, I think December 3rd and I think in about ten days after that I was called and told that there were lungs available for me,' says said Fagerstrom.
All this, while being a mother.
“I had an infant. He was six months old, and my two daughters were three years old and six years old. So, it was a real struggle to just be a mom in the first place, but then to have the health problems on top of that," said Fagerstrom.
Ginny emphasizes her recovery process was difficult.
“You lose a lot of weight. Your muscle tone is terrible. And so, I had to use a walker at first," emphasized said Fagerstrom.
Today, Ginny is in good health.
“I get to do a lot of crafting and sewing and cultural events with my friends and my family and my children are doing great," says said Fagerstrom.
There are 141 Alaskans on the national transplant waiting list, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Nationally, it’s more than 100,000. There is one Alaskan currently waiting on a lung transplant.
One of the closest organ procurement centers is Life Center Northwest, in Seattle, Washington.
“Lung transplants are the most rare transplant surgery, and the least amount of people on the transplant waiting list are waiting for lungs," said Jenna Huerta from Life Center Northwest.
When patients match to a donor, the lungs are recovered and placed in a perfusion system.
“They are the most fragile of the organs to be recovered. And they can be on ice for about 4 to 6 hours," said Huerta.
Families of organ donors and transplant recipients will be honored and celebrated at the Anchorage Museum this Sunday October 6th at 10:30 am.