“I’m relishing the fact that I can breathe,” declares John Dennis when he woke up after his single-lung transplant at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) in early March 2021. In this video, John shares his pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and lung transplant journey and passes on advice for others living with PF.
When John retired in 2008 and returned to his hometown of Halifax, he seemed to get sick each spring. In 2016 he attended his younger brother’s funeral and his sister-in-law told him his brother had PF but had told no one. John immediately knew he also had this fatal disease.
At 76 years of age, John is in the top five percent of people receiving a lung transplant, in terms of age. “Self-advocacy and self-care are critical in being considered for this procedure,” says John. John wakes up each morning thankful for another wonderful day.
John also founded the CPFF Halifax Support Group and its members have been a source of encouragement throughout his PF journey.
We celebrate John for his courage and are grateful to him for sharing his pulmonary fibrosis journey. If you or someone you love is experiencing breathing difficulties talk to your doctor.
** Update January 6, 2022 ** It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Dennis on December 19, 2022. John was an inspiration to us all and we offer our deepest condolences to their families and our community. We continue to share his story to build awareness around this devastating condition.