A Chattanooga resident, Lenora Barber, experienced a truly miraculous holiday season this year as she celebrated with her family after a life-threatening brush with illness. Diagnosed with an autoimmune liver disease, Barber faced a grim prognosis that drastically altered her life. Her rare blood type significantly reduced her chances of survival without a transplant, casting a long shadow over her future. Despite overwhelming odds, Barber’s name was added to the organ transplant list. In a rare stroke of fortune, she received a liver transplant within just ten days, a remarkable occurrence in the transplant community.
Barber’s successful liver transplant occurred on New Year’s Day in 2010, marking a pivotal turning point in her life. Having gained 15 additional years she wasn’t expected to have, Barber has watched her grandchildren grow up, an experience she cherishes deeply. Her granddaughter, Kathy Troxel, vividly recalls the momentous call that announced a donor match was found, a call that came with urgency and hope. The experience, though a blur, left the family profoundly grateful for the chance to extend their time together.
Since her transplant, Barber has embraced life with renewed purpose, contributing as a clinical instructor in a nursing school and eagerly engaging in various volunteer activities. Her daily routine includes wearing a green ribbon, symbolizing her second lease on life and constant gratitude for organ donation. This ribbon has become synonymous with her enduring spirit and the miracle she represents to her family and community.
The Barber family’s ordeal highlights the transformative power of organ donation, turning once dire circumstances into a celebration of life and resilience. They advocate passionately for organ donor registration, emphasizing that the act of donating can dramatically alter, or even save, lives. During this festive season, their story serves as a poignant reminder to savor the time given and to recognize the profound impact of such selfless acts.
