Lung transplant recipient says organ donor saved and transformer her life

MONTCLAIR, NJ – A 61-year-old Montclair woman has been given a second chance at life after receiving a double lung transplant seven years ago from a donor.

Christine Williams, 61, credits her second chance to a successful double-lung transplant at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

This week, she celebrated her achievements with her family, including her five children, nine grandchildren, and great-grandson.

“I feel like every day is a blessing from God,” said Christine. “I am forever thankful to my organ donor and their family for giving me the gift of life. Because of them, I have been able to enjoy more time with my family and I am inspired to give back to others.”

She says she now shares her transplant story through the NJ Sharing Network, the nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue in the Garden State.

“She actively shares her transplant journey with others to encourage more people to register as organ and tissue donors,” said GaryMignone of the New Jersey Sharing Network.

Christine was born and raised in East Orange, the nineth of 10 children in her loving home. Her parents, Doris and Bill, were active in the U.S. army throughout her childhood. Doris was a 2^nd Lieutenant serving stateside, and Bill was a Private stationed in Okinawa. Christine has fond memories of being the largest family at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament in East Orange, her love for music and playing classical piano, and her years at Saint Vincent Academy in Newark.

According to Mignone, in 2009, Christine faced a serious health concern when she was hospitalized with pneumonia twice. Testing showed scarring on Christine’s lungs, and she was, ultimately, diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

“They told me there was no cure and that life expectance with IPF was about 1-3 years,” said Christine. “I remember thinking, ‘well, this may be it.’ However, I had the support of my family and I kept hold of my faith.”

She became inspired to focus on her health. She lost more than 30 pounds by exercising daily and returned to work.

In 2013, Christine’s condition worsened, and she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. She traveled for procedures and treatments at some of the finest medical institutions in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania before being added to the transplant list at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in August 2015.

“On January 3, 2016, I was getting ready to go to church. I always joked that my car was like a ‘bomb on wheels’ because I had to carry my oxygen tanks along with me everywhere I went,” said Christine. “My son Darrell received the voicemail. I remember turning to my daughter Gabrielle and saying, ‘Oh wow, this is really happening.’ I only waited for four hours, and I was wheeled in for the surgery. It was a very spiritual experience for me. I saw light, and I felt like I was being carried by angels. I knew in my heart that I was going to be OK – I was never so confident in my life.”

Today, Christine is retired and doing all she can to give back to others by volunteering with NJ Sharing Network and the Garden State Pulmonary Fibrosis Group. She also hopes that she will be able to personally connect with her donor family at some point in the future.

Currently, there are over 100,000 Americans – nearly 4,000 of whom live in New Jersey – waiting for a life-saving transplant, according to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). However, the generosity of those in the Garden State is providing hope for the future. In 2022, the number of organ donors (283) and organs transplanted (670) in a single year reached all-time highs This marked the fourth consecutive year NJ Sharing Network has reported new records in the number of organ donors, underscoring the clear trend of increased support for organ donation.

This article incorporates elements from a press release by NJ Sharing Network.

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