Elise Campbell, Transplant Recipient

In July 2014, my life changed forever...

My name is Elise and I am the honored recipient of a donated heart. Previous to my transplant, much of my life was spent living in fear of when the chambers of my heart would pump their last flow of blood. I was born with a congenital heart defect and spent most of my life trying to avoid overworking my heart.

Despite my best efforts, my heart began to succumb to failure in 2013 and I was placed on a transplant list in the spring of 2014. I was one of the lucky ones who only had to wait a few months before a heart was available. On July 13th, 2014, my life changed forever. The moment my new heart started beating inside my chest, my fears of heart failure vanished and for the first time in my life I was living with a perfectly healthy heart.

I can now climb mountains, run with my dog and ride a bike with my husband. None of those things would be possible if it weren’t for organ donation. I now push myself to try and do all of the things I was too scared to do when I was weak with heart failure. Not only did my donor give me a new heart, they also gave me permission to be brave and to live life to the fullest. Because you can’t have the heart of a life-saving hero and live your life in fear of the unknown. #donatelife