Saturday, November 8, 2014

RIP Cornel

Cornel was the oldest surviving CF transplant recipient in South Africa. She received her transplant in 2002, and I think she might have been the first double lung transplant recipient in this country too? Not 100% sure about that though. I remember when I got listed I had heard of this lady with CF who was like 5 years post transplant and it gave me hope.  Over the last 2 years we started chatting on facebook and texting each other. I never got to see her because she lived in Secuda.

However last Sunday she told me she is in Milpark and I went to visit and meet her for the first time. We had a really good time chatting. She was struggling quite a lot to breathe though and it was quite scary to see. She also had a tiredness about her that I can relate to from life pre-transplant but almost on a different level... if that makes sense. But she was so grateful for how awesome her husband is and that she married the best guy in the world, and all the awesome friends and family she has that keeps her going.

Unfortunately on Thursday one of her friends (who I met at the hosp on Sunday) informed me that she is not doing well at all... and on Friday morning I heard that she had passed away. I feel terribly sad for her husband and friends and family :-( But she is breathing easily now.

RIP


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Alice,

In 1996 an 8 year old girl from Pietermaritzburg received a double lung and heart transplant. The transplant was done by Dr Fanus Serfontein in Pretoria. She did not survive past a few months but I also know she was not the first in South Africa to receive new lungs. There was a teenager from Greytown as I re-collect who survived many years post transplant. This was at the time that lung transplants were still very new in SA. Teneal was the same age as our late son, he passed away not receiving a transplant and she passed away having received one. Both had CF. Just thought you may like to know.

Anonymous said...

I remember Teneal she was very little. And I think a teenage boy name Brandon or Brandon. My sister was also on the list and was put under 2 times, however the recipient lungs were too damaged. She passed away at age 19 in 1996.she also needed the double lung and heart.