WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Julie McCormick of Stokesdale, North Carolina enjoys the simple things in life.
“I love spending time with my family and traveling, enjoy vacationing, hiking a little bit,” McCormick said.
But in early 2019 the wife and mother of two noticed something happening to her body.
“I started getting short of breath,” McCormick said. “Just doing daily activities around the house. Noticed it walking from my car to my classroom door. I felt like I needed to take a deep breath.”
That’s when she decided to go to the hospital. After several tests, doctors hit her with some unexpected news.
“Learned that I had a very rare lung disease that affects one in 10 million people. Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease and I was told that I had less than three months to live without a double lung transplant.”
WFMY’s Lauren Coleman asked McCormick what was going through her mind when she was given the diagnosis.
“Disbelief,” McCormick said. “Here I am at the time I was 45 years old never dreaming that I would need a transplant to live. I still had kids in high school and one in college and it was like wait a minute, I haven’t gotten to see any milestones yet.”
McCormick was placed on a transplant waiting list in February of 2019. Two months later doctors told her they found a match. Today, nearly three years after a successful transplant surgery McCormick continues to thrive.
“I’ve seen my youngest daughter graduate from high school,” McCormick said. “I’ve seen my oldest daughter graduate from college and now August 6 got married.”
She even met her donor’s family.
“The mom listened to my lungs and could hear me breath,” McCormick said. “She just cried you know, which is understandable.”
After the transplant, McCormick wanted a way to help others in need of a life-saving organ or tissue donation. She decided to volunteer for HonorBridge. HonorBridge is a federally designated organ procurement organization that serves 77 counties in North Carolina.
Beth Hinesley is the Community Relations Coordinator for HonorBridge. She said the organization is on track to have a record-breaking year to save and heal more lives.
“As of June 30, of this year, 2022 we actually have done 161 organ donors which is up from the previous year of 143,” Hinesley said. “With that increase, we have actually been able to have 432 transplants, which means 432 people’s lives were saved with the donors who have registered.”
Assisting others through organizations like HonorBridge is what helps to keep McCormick going year after year.
“Today I wake up breathing air just like everyone else,” McCormick said. “I can get up and I can function so if I can give back in any way, that’s what keeps me going. So, others have the same opportunity I’ve had.”
In North Carolina, there are more than 3,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ. Just one organ donor can potentially save up to eight lives.
Click here for information on how to register to be an organ donor.