After watching your dad and sister pass from the same disease you are diagnosed with, you come to accept that it is part of your life and learn to stay positive.  For four years, I had to carry a backpack with oxygen everywhere I went and got used to people staring and looking at me differently.

It’s so nice not to be connected to oxygen and have the energy to do things again. It’s like having a new lease on life. Just being able to breathe - I can’t find the words to describe it!

Getting my second breath back means I now have a future where I can give back... I am forever grateful to my donor and honour them by raising awareness of the importance of organ donation.

I was 54 and had a lot of living left to do. Waking up after my lung transplant was surreal. I was reborn and had a fresh start. I have a new attitude. I respect my body and my life much more now.