I came across an interesting article in the print version of Reader’s Digest and I see that the article is also available online at www.readersdigest.com.
The article profiles 4 athletes who have overcome major physical adversity. Each of the stories is heart-warming. But the first profile, that of Shannon Kelly, really captured my interest. Selfish interest, I suppose.
Shannon learned as a teenager that she had hypertophic cardiomyopathy and over the years, she became progressively more symptomatic with heart failure. By the time she was in her mid-30’s, she was short of breath with only minimal activity. Her only option for treatment was a transplant. The operation went well and she has embraced the “new” life that her transplanted heart has brought.
Two years after her transplant, she took on the challenge of a sprint distance triathlon….and she finished 93rd out of 189. Another remarkable story about a heart transplant recipient.