Mother Beats Odds After Two Double Lung Transplants, 16 Years Later Urges Organ Donation

Mother Given New Life After Two Double lung Transplants Urges Organ Donation

USA: Terry Raymond, a mother of two, is marking Mother’s Day with gratitude after surviving two double lung transplants and rebuilding a life she feared would be lost. Once diagnosed with severe emphysema, Raymond endured an initial double lung transplantation and, after rejection of the first graft, a second double lung transplant the following November to stay alive. One son recently married, a milestone she says she never expected to see.

Her case illustrates the challenges and possibilities of redo lung transplantation. Dr. Sophia Tochman notes that repeat lung transplants are uncommon and often more complex; only about 3 to 5% of lung transplants each year are redo procedures. Still, transplantation can be transformative and life prolonging, restoring years of independence while requiring lifelong medical stewardship.

Nearly 16 years after her second set of lungs gave her a third chance at life, Raymond has embraced rigorous follow-up care and activity, hiking the Grand Canyon and taking extended backpacking trips she once thought impossible. Medical teams highlight that lung transplant is not a cure but can deliver substantial quality-of-life gains when recipients commit to post-transplant management.

As she reflects on every breath and the time regained with family, Raymond urges others to register as organ donors, noting donor procurement is the essential link that makes transplantation possible for people facing fatal lung disease. This Mother’s Day she is asking that more people consider giving the gift of life.

Video originally published on 2026-05-08 21:26:28