Charity Tillemann-Dick, a world renowned opera soprano, was diagnosed in 2002 at age 20 with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, a serious condition characterized by abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs that often leads to both heart and lung failure. Last month, after receiving a double lung transplant and having open heart surgery that saved her life, the young woman sang “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “O Mio Babbino Caro” to her doctors and nurses at the Cleveland Clinic.
Ms. Tillemann-Dick, whose full name is Charity Sunshine, kept positive about her disease and the difficult treatment that followed. She even continued to sing on international stages with heavy makeup to disguise her sallow skin. “When you’re facing a challenge like this, it’s important to plow through and do the best that you can and do what you want to do that’s good.”
Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH) is thought to only affect about 5-10% of the population. It affects women more often than men. In many cases, the cause is unknown, but it is thought to have a genetic component.
Pulmonary hypertension is caused by a narrowing of the small arteries of the lung which makes it harder for the right side of the heart to circulate the blood to the lungs. Overtime, the right side of the heart may become enlarged and fail, called cor pulmonale. Symptoms include chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
There is no known cure for IPAH, but several forms of treatment are available to control symptoms, such as calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Some patients are put on blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Overall prognosis for the condition is poor; morbidity and mortality rates vary based on degree of the condition, the age of the patient, and the ability to respond to therapy. When treatment with medication fails, suitable candidates may be helped by a lung or heart/lung transplant.
After her own surgery, Charity began retraining her voice by humming and progressed to show tunes as her body strengthened. She has performed already this summer at the Swiss and Hungarian embassies. Dr. Ken McCurry, who led her nine-hour operation, said "It's always gratifying when you see a patient recover, but to have a patient recover this quickly and to this extent -- it is stunning.
“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Register to be an organ and tissue donor & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network. NEW for Ontario: recycleMe.org - Learn The Ins & Outs Of Organ And Tissue Donation. Register Today! For other Canadian provinces click here
In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov
In Great Britain, register at NHS Organ Donor Register
In Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register
Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants (see allotransplantation). One tissue donor can help 75 to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves
Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. Organs can save lives, corneas renew vision, and tissue may help to restore someone's ability to walk, run or move freely without pain. Life Begins with You
No comments:
Post a Comment