Cheryl Campe

My names is Cheryl Campe. I am 58 years old.

On July 2, 2018, I became active on the waiting list for a double lung transplant with the University of Minnesota. With no calls for a transplant, I also listed with Nebraska Medical Center on October of 2019. I received a call from Nebraska Medical Center on November 18, 2019. We accepted the lungs, but it turned out they were not a good match for me. Then on November 25, 2019, I received another call from Nebraska Medical Center for lungs.

My husband and I arrived at the hospital about 2 p.m. By 10 p.m. it was confirmed the lungs were good. I was emotionally drained by then. I really didn’t think I was going to ever receive lungs. But I did. I was wrong. I received my lungs in a box!

Before my transplant, daily tasks like cooking, baking, doing dishes, bathing, and holding a book to read to my grandkids were very difficult for me to do. I didn’t have the strength to hold my 3-month old grandson.

Now I run and play with him and walk around holding him. What an wonderful feeling that is!

But by the end of rehab I was walking miles a day!!! Now I walk 6 miles a day!!! I love walking. I love doing 5K walks with my family. Last year my oldest granddaughter joined me on a 5K walk. I love the outdoors.

Oh and just this weekend, I helped blow up balloons for my grandkids’ party. What an awesome feeling that was!