Jesse Kolb lived with cystic fibrosis for 11 years until donor lungs became available. He can now run, enjoy sports, and play guitar. Jesse has a future but never forgets what it was like before the transplant: “The waiting list is too long. We all need to help shorten it.”

Jesse's Story

Jesse Kolb, 15, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a condition affecting the lungs and pancreas, when he was only 13-months old.

“I had a rough time with it throughout my childhood. I was constantly being hospitalized,” said Jesse. “I didn’t have great expectations for my life.”

When he was about eight, his doctors suggested a double lung transplant. So Jesse and his family went to University Medical Center (UMC) in Tucson for an evaluation and to learn about the transplant process.

Jesse returned home to Phoenix and was sick often, enduring hospitalizations several times a year at Phoenix Children's Hospital. “When I wasn't sick, I enjoyed my neighborhood, riding around on my bike with friends, time with my family and just trying to be a kid. But it just wasn't the same."

Still, Jesse and his family lived by their motto: “Whatever it takes.” After waiting more than three years for his new lungs, Jesse received the call on the night of August 28, 2002 that lungs were available. “I was in shock. I was happy, sad, confused and ecstatic,” he remembered. “I had many ups and downs -- my lungs collapsed several times, and they could not figure out what was wrong. At one point, I had no blood pressure. I spent a rough three months in intensive care, but everything turned out well. There were many times I wanted to give up hope, but didn’t. I knew it would be good in the end. It was a true miracle.

“I thank the staff - the doctors, nurses, PCTs, and respiratory staff at UMC and, most importantly, I thank my family for helping me through the transplant,” said Jesse. “Of course, none of this would be possible without my donor family, which I am extremely thankful for. I also want to thank Donor Network of Arizona. They've been a huge help. While it sounds bad, it was a tremendous experience, and I would do it all over again if I had to. I can do anything I want to now. I can run and play sports. I even play guitar and hope to get my band signed some day. That's my dream.

“I just want to make a difference in the world, and help people. The waiting list is too long. We all need to help shorten it.”