Shelburne woman needs double lung transplant

By Kathy Johnson

THE COAST GUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

A Shelburne couple has embarked on a journey of hope.

Last Thursday Phillip and Jenny Dunham left for Toronto where Jenny will be placed on a waiting list for a double lung transplant provided she is a suitable candidate.

Diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Jenny has lived “on oxygen 24/7 for the past three years,” said Phillip in an interview.

The quest for the opportunity to be considered for a double lung transplant began over a year ago, said Dunham, who credits Dr. Mark Riley for “helping to get us to where we are now.”

While waiting for the transplant, which could take up to a year, the couple will take up residence in an apartment adjacent to the Toronto General Hospital.

Thanks to the efforts of Louis Brill, president and CEO of the Nova Scotia Lung Association, the couple will be able to apply for up to $1,500 per month for rental expenses from the provincial Department of Health, after they’ve been in Toronto for three months.

In the meantime, they’ll be footing the bill themselves, along with support from the community. “An effort is being started by the local churches to coordinate opportunities for people to assist Phillip and Jenny,” said Rev. Joanne McFadden, pastor at the Trinity United Church in Shelburne.

The couple did receive few private financial donations prior to leaving for Toronto, for which they are very grateful.

Dunham is also grateful that his employer, the Shelburne Association Supporting Inclusion (SASI), has given him time off from his job at Heritage Hall so he can be at his wife’s side in her fight for life.