While attending college in 2009, Clare Dowling, then 18, noticed that she was short of breath when walking from class to class. She was diagnosed with pulmonary veno-oclusive disease (PVOD) and in need of a double-lung transplant. As Clare's health rapidly declined, she was put on the organ transplant waitlist in April 2010 and received her new lungs on August 26.
While Clare does not know the identity of her donor, she honors him/her by always living her life to the fullest. She has been able to get back to her lifelong passion of horseback riding and has gone back to school where she is a college senior studying sociology. Clare does her best to take care of her new lungs and renewed health.

Clare's Story

While attending college in 2009, Clare Dowling, then 18, noticed that she was short of breath when walking from class to class. After consulting with a range of medical specialists who could not figure out why her oxygen level was dropping as she exerted herself, Clare was finally diagnosed with pulmonary veno-oclusive disease (PVOD). At age 12, she had been diagnosed with lupus, but was fairly healthy growing up.

PVOD makes it difficult for oxygenated blood to be pumped to the rest of the body -- the only solution was a double-lung transplant. As Clare's health rapidly declined, she was put on the organ transplant waitlist in April 2010 and received her new lungs on August 26. It was not easy going - Clare was not able to leave the hospital until November 22. Those months were spent in intensive care. Clare also suffered a stroke and lost temporary use of her legs due to nerve damage.

While Clare doesn't know the identity of her donor, she honors him/her by always living her life to the full, cherishing every experience as if it were her last. Despite losing the ability to walk and her memory for many months following the transplant, she has been able to get back to her lifelong passion of horseback riding. And she has gone back to school where she is a senior in college studying sociology. Clare does her best to take care of her new lungs and renewed health.