John Kelly was an active husband and father who enjoyed golfing, staying busy, and spending time outdoors. But when simple things like climbing stairs or walking to the car left him winded, he knew something had to change.
For years, John lived with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that can harden the skin and damage internal organs. Over time, the condition began attacking his lungs and heart.
“I was managing things with medication,” John recalls, “but about a year and a half ago, everything changed. I couldn’t go up stairs or walk long distances anymore. Even with oxygen, I was constantly out of breath.”
When his pulmonologist in Maryland told him he needed a double lung transplant, John was shocked. “I didn’t even know that was possible,” he says. “But I also knew I didn’t have many options left.”
Finding Hope at Temple
John was evaluated for transplant at a major medical center near his home—but was told he wasn’t a candidate because of his scleroderma and esophageal issues.
“That was hard to hear,” he says. “But my doctor told me right away that Temple specialized in cases like mine. He said, ‘If anyone can do it, they can.’”
Within a week, John’s referral to the Temple Lung Center was underway, where he eventually met Dr. Kartik Shenoy. “When I met the team at Temple, they told me they see patients like me all the time,” he says. “That gave me confidence.”
“That was hard to hear,” he says. “But my doctor told me right away that Temple specialized in cases like mine. He said, ‘If anyone can do it, they can.’”
After additional testing, John was officially listed for transplant. Just four weeks later, he received the call that would change his life.
“It was 10 o’clock at night,” he remembers. “When I saw the Philadelphia area code, I knew exactly what it was. My heart started racing. I was scared and excited at the same time.”
Expert Care for a Complex Condition
John’s double lung transplant was performed by Roh Yanagida, Surgical Director of the Heart Transplant Program and Director of the ECMO Program at at Temple University Hospital. The operation lasted more than 11 hours—and it was a success.
By day five after surgery, John was breathing on his own without oxygen. “It was incredible,” he says. “Before surgery, I couldn’t walk across the room without my oxygen tank. Now, I was taking full breaths again.”
Temple is one of few health systems in the country with extensive experience performing lung transplants for people with scleroderma. These patients require extra care and coordination from multiple specialists including GI specialists and dietitians.
