In this episode, host Candice Coghlan sat down with Tara Lisabeth, who received not one, but two double lung transplants at a young age. She spoke about life with cystic fibrosis, what it felt like to take deep breaths and how transplant gave her the opportunity to walk down the aisle and get married. Later we were joined by Dr. Marcelo Cypel, the Surgical Director for the Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN and UHN ECLS Program, among many other accolades, who also performed Tara's first double lung transplant. He spoke to us about innovations to expand the donor pool and create more viable lungs for transplant with therapies like light based therapy to inactivate hepatitis C virus, a universal blood type, lung preservation and repair with Ex Vivo, and what it is like leading and being part of a team who has now celebrated the 3000th lung transplant.

For more information about Cystic Fibrosis, please visit: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Lung_Transplant_Program/Pre-Transplant/Pages/cystic_fibrosis.aspx 

For more information about the UHN Lung Transplant Program, please visit: https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant/Lung_Transplant_Program 

For more information about the Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System, please visit: https://uhnfoundation.ca/stories/out-of-body-experience/ 

The views and opinions expressed in this episode do not necessarily relfect the official policy or position of Toronto General Hospital or University Health Network.