The 27-year-old died of advanced lung cancer. The most tragic in this story, however, is the fact that the lungs in which the cancer had developed were transplanted to her to save her life.
When Jennifer Wederell was two years old, she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. This disease causes a number of changes, mainly in the digestive and respiratory systems. On the part of the digestive system, these are inflammation of the pancreas and its insufficiency, and secondary diabetes. Regarding the respiratory system, there are recurrent lung infections and other changes that lead to respiratory failure.
Affected individuals usually die in their teens or twenties, but Jennifer’s health was remarkably good. It was not until the age of 20 that a woman had to start using supplemental oxygen continuously. However, this did not change the fact that her lungs were systematically deteriorating.
Jennifer has been placed on the transplant waiting list. She had to wait 18 months for new lungs, but in April 2011 she found out that a tissue compatible organ had been found. The woman’s mother, Mrs. Grannell, said in one of the interviews that the whole family was eagerly awaiting this moment, because they hoped that in this way it would be possible to cheat her illness and significantly extend her life.
The transplant was performed immediately.
Everything went smoothly until a malignant tumor was detected in Jennifer’s lungs in February this year. As it soon turned out, the transplanted lungs came from a smoker. The woman was shocked. Her mother recalls that all the risks of the procedure were explained right before the transplant, but never once was she mentioned that she was going to get smoker’s lungs. She died a death that was meant for someone else, “said Mrs. Grannell.
Hospital officials said it was very rare for a patient to refuse a lung transplant from someone who was a smoker if the lungs themselves are healthy. This is because it is very difficult to find a suitable organ and usually the delay in waiting for a suitable organ from a non-smoker is more dangerous than an available transplant. If all smokers’ lungs were excluded from transplant surgery, the number of such operations would drop by 40%.
Nevertheless, hospital officials admit that they should give Jennifer the opportunity to decide whether or not she wants an organ where the cancer could potentially develop. However, they note that at the time of the transplant, the lungs looked perfectly healthy.