{"id":14,"date":"2023-07-18T12:41:32","date_gmt":"2023-07-18T12:41:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cota1.wpengine.com\/cloningsite\/?page_id=14"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:36:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:36:48","slug":"our-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforjenslungs\/our-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jen\u2019s Story: Fighting for Her Next Chance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Right now, Jen is facing kidney failure<\/strong> \u2014 and will need a kidney transplant soon.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This comes after everything her body has already endured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 19th<\/sup>, 2024, Jen received her second double-lung transplant<\/strong> \u2014 a rare, direct donation after 3.5 years of waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It saved her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the medications required to keep those lungs alive \u2014 powerful immunosuppressants \u2014 have now caused significant damage to her kidneys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, this is the reality Jen is living in today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medications keeping her alive are also putting her next organ at risk.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Survival to Purpose<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jen was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that has impacted nearly every part of her body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She received her first double-lung transplant at just 13 years old, giving her seven meaningful years before chronic rejection began. Over the past decade, she has faced more than most people will in a lifetime \u2014 and she has never stopped fighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, after her second transplant, Jen is finally doing something she fought incredibly hard for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019s living her life again.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she\u2019s not keeping that life to herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jen has become a chronic illness and transplant advocate, speaker, and content creator,<\/strong> using her voice to raise awareness, support other patients, and give hope to families facing the same fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Reality Behind the Recovery<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even with this second chance, Jen\u2019s journey is far from over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her life is a constant balance of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Lifesaving medications<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Frequent lab work and monitoring<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Ongoing specialist care at NYU Langone Health in New York City<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Preparing for another major transplant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Being close to her transplant team is critical. Access to care, timing, and rapid response can make the difference between stability and emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why We Need Your Help \u2014 Again<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Many of you supported COTA in honor of Jen through her first transplant journey. That support helped save her life \u2014 and we will never forget it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We understand this is another ask, and we do not take that lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But transplant care is not a one-time event \u2014 it is lifelong, complex, and financially overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Right now, donations to COTA are needed to help cover transplant-related expenses like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Ongoing post-transplant care<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Access to her NYC medical team<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Costs associated with an upcoming kidney transplant<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Medications, monitoring, and long-term recovery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Jen continues to work with the Children\u2019s Organ Transplant Association (COTA), which ensures that 100% of donations made in her honor go directly toward transplant-related expenses.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How You Can Make an Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      If you can give, your support of COTA directly helps Jen continue this fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If giving isn\u2019t possible, sharing this page <\/strong>is incredibly powerful and helps expand her support system in ways that truly matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Every share matters.
      Every donation to COTA helps sustain her care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Still Here. Still Fighting. Still Giving Back.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Jen has fought through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Cystic fibrosis<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Two double-lung transplants<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Chronic rejection<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • And now kidney failure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        And through it all, she has turned survival into purpose \u2014 using her voice to advocate for others facing chronic illness and transplant journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        She is still here.
        She is still fighting.
        And she is not giving up<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Follow Jen\u2019s Journey<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube
        @jencantbreathe<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        With Gratitude<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Thank you for standing with Jen \u2014 not just once, but again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Your support, your shares, and your kindness mean more than words can express.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        With heartfelt thanks, Jen & Family <3<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Jen\u2019s Story: Fighting for Her Next Chance Right now, Jen is facing kidney failure \u2014 and will need a kidney transplant soon. This comes after everything her body has already endured. On August 19th, 2024, Jen received her second double-lung transplant \u2014 a rare, direct donation after 3.5 years of waiting. It saved her life. 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