In 2003, Kathleen Eilber was diagnosed with a severe case of pulmonary fibrosis; a condition where the lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, making it difficult for the lungs to properly function. As the condition worsens, it becomes difficult to breath and many patients need a lung transplant. Kathleen’s condition has progressed and she is now unable to leave her house without portable oxygen and her wheelchair. Walking very short distances causes Kathleen to struggle, and she often has massive coughing spells which can last up to 30 minutes each time. Kathleen is undergoing extensive medical testing at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, and she is expected to receive her lifesaving lung transplant in the near future.

Kathleen is a woman who always puts others before herself. She would give her last bite of food to see to it that someone else is fed. She loved to volunteer with the local Girl Scouts and Daisies club and used to run her daughter’s cheerleading camp before she became ill. More than ever, Kathleen enjoys spending time with her 19 year-old daughter and her 22 year-old son, as well as her two adorable grandchildren! Kathleen hopes to one day resume her active life and have the opportunity to breath without the assistance of oxygen. A lung transplant is Kathleen’s only hope for the life she once knew.