Donna’s Lung Transplant Journey and the Need for Breathing Space
For Donna McDonald, quilting is a symbol of the care and strength that carried her through her experience with lung disease. Diagnosed with COPD in 2009, she was told her only chance of survival was a lung transplant. Like all Saskatchewan patients, Donna had to travel to Edmonton (one of only four centres for lung transplants in Canada) and stay there for months with a caregiver, adding immense stress to an already difficult journey. Having experienced this first-hand, Donna now serves as a Lung Ambassador, raising awareness about lung health, and has recently donated two quilts to Breathing Space to ease the path for others navigating this life-saving process.
My Lung Transplant Journey
In 2011, I was already on oxygen at home and had been hospitalized several times with pneumonia. The second time I was in the hospital, the doctor talked to me about a lung transplant. I was too scared to do anything about it. But the third time, he said, “I’m putting you on the list—you won’t last a year if we don’t get you in there.” My lung capacity had deteriorated quite a bit. Within a year, I started doing the testing. When he said it was time to think about a transplant, I said, “Like when? Like next year?” And he said, “You don’t have a year.” There were two doctors there. They both said it kind of in unison, and that scared me. I was only 58 years old.
When I had my lung transplant surgery, there was no place like Breathing Space, a sanctuary to support lung transplant patients and their families, giving them the space to heal and regain strength. The financial burden was one of the things that held me back from committing to the transplant program. My transplant accommodations were costly, and quite a distance from the hospital. It would have been so much more convenient and worry-free if Breathing Space had been available for me. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for all of it. That caused a lot of anxiety.
Your gift to Breathing Space makes a life-changing difference.
No one should have to turn down a lung transplant because of financial barriers.
When my sister Linda wasn’t at the hospital with me, she was at the place we rented, cooking meals, picking up groceries, and doing my laundry. In between all that, she still had to check on her home, which someone else was caring for while she was away. It was a full-time job for her. We were there from October to the end of January, and every day she was driving back and forth, 20 minutes each way, in cold, slippery weather she wasn’t used to. Living at Breathing Space would have made a big difference for my caregiver. She wouldn’t have had to deal with the daily commute and all that came with it. And for me, coming out of the hospital, I stayed at a motel. The staff were kind, but they didn’t have experience with people recovering from major surgery.
Your donation supports the creation of Breathing Space,
ensuring lung transplant patients have a safe and supportive place to recover.
The difference the transplant made in my life is phenomenal. I don’t think twice about doing things now. About four years after my transplant, I was coming home from the gas station and saw a man struggling to push his car up a little hill into the garage. Everyone was sitting at the red light watching.
I parked my car, got out, and helped him. Before my transplant, there’s no way I could’ve done that. After not being able to do much for years, the transplant gave me my life back. I don’t take it for granted. I probably wouldn’t parachute out of a plane or anything, but I don’t say no to much anymore.
Thank you for supporting lung health. Your generosity makes a meaningful difference for patients and their families in Saskatchewan.
Yours sincerely,
Donna McDonald
About Breathing Space
Lung transplants aren’t available in Saskatchewan. Patients must go to Edmonton, the nearest centre serving over 7 million people from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northern B.C., Manitoba, and the territories. That often means leaving home and relocating for weeks or even months. It’s a heavy burden, not just for patients but for their loved ones too. There are costs for travel, rent, and food, as well as the emotional toll of being far from home and the stress of managing it all while preparing for and recovering from major surgery.
To ease this journey, Lung Saskatchewan is proud to partner with Alberta Lung on the Breathing Space project in Edmonton. A temporary pilot is already running, offering a “home away from home” for lung transplant patients and their caregivers. It provides comfort, stability, and support during one of the most challenging times in their lives.
Breathing Space will provide essential housing for patients receiving treatment at the Edmonton Lung Transplant Program. With your support, we can ensure that no one faces the financial burden of accommodation while undergoing life-saving treatment.