Give Manitoba

Manitoba 21 BREATHING LIFE into our programs since 1927! mb.lung.ca 204-774-5501 Give the gift of BREATH today. Join the tradition that helps Manitobans Breathe with Ease. Christmas Seals® Contact us to find out how to get your Christmas Seals® info@mb.lung.ca Today, Dennis, 78, is thriving. "About a year after the transplant, my lungs were about the same as they were when they were healthy," he says. "Now, I test them every day, and they're working fine." So much so that he still has the energy to run his own engineering company. He also donates his time to support others who have gone through a lung transplant or are about to. "Now I can help others — it feels so good to be able to provide help when I can. I'm involved with virtual meetings where I can use my experience to counsel those who've had a lung transplant or are still waiting to get one," he says. "The waiting stage can be very challenging, so I do what I can to help others cope as best they can." Kirsten Davidson, senior manager of fund development for the Lung Association of Manitoba, says she's thrilled that Dennis takes time to share his success story with others who are about to go down the same path he did. "He has an incredible journey to share," she says. "He can share a story of hope with those who have just gone through or who are waiting to go through what he did. We want to build community around people, and volunteers like Dennis help us do that." Davidson adds that the lung trans - plant support group is just one of several support groups the Lung Association operates. "One in five Manitobans struggle with lung disease, so we also have a pulmonary fibrosis group, as well as a long COVID group," she notes. "We also run a Manitoba Quits program to help people quit smoking and run a school-based program called Lungs are for Life that teaches kids about the different facets of lung health." Those aren't the only programs that the Lung Association offers. "We also have Lungs Matter, a radon miti- gation grant program, and LUNGtivity, a pro- gram that provides breath, core, diaphragm training and gentle movement exercises for Manitobans living with lung conditions," she says. Overall, the Lung Association's mission is a simple one. "We try to provide the education and support people need to learn about and deal with any breathing challenges they face," Davidson says. "We want to help in any way we can to encourage people to think about healthy breathing for healthy living." Dennis will be forever grateful for that support. "Thanks to the transplant and all the support I received," he says, "I got a new lease on life."

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