I’m a daughter, sister, mother, college graduate and hopefully someday a lung transplant recipient. After being diagnosed with non-specific interstitial pnuemonitis fibrosis, a lung disease caused by my immune system, I have been living life fully. I was initially broken by the diagnosis, especially because I have two lovely children who are teenagers and they need me. I decided to be grateful for the life I lived before the diagnosis and the one I am going to live after my transplant.

While waiting, I’ve decided to change the face of donation by educating the African-American community about their choices and options regarding our health. For the last four years, I have used media to deliver my message and I have also spoken publicly and privately to anyone who will listen. I am disgusted by the health statistics that plague our communities because I know that education is the key to eliminating these disparities.
The way I see it is that I could give up or I could live another 40 years. With this mindset, my aunt Margie and I wrote our dream list of all the places we would like to travel to around the world. Aunt Margie was diagnosed with breast and colon cancer two years ago and is now in remission. I am happy to say that we have booked a 12-day Mediterranean cruise leaving Barcelona Spain traveling east to France and onto the country of Italy. We are also in the process of booking a 16-day cruise of southern and eastern Africa. Ladies, I could give you the grimy details of my daily medical dilemmas, but why should I bore you with that when HOPE is much more palatable.

My biggest reward is that I now know my body, I am in-tuned with it, and I listen to what it says. I implore you ladies to do the same. The body always gives us clues, LISTEN.

-April Sharkey