S HE STEPPED OFF THE PLANE that day in San Antonio, Texas, sporting a shiny bronze medal for running the 5-K in the national Transplant Olympics, Doug Black knew he was officially “back in the race.”

Just eight months earlier, Doug had undergone a life-saving heart and lung transplant at the CHRISTUS Transplant Institute. Until that time, he had lost all interest in life. Just getting out of bed in the morning was a monumental task. Doug, 22, suffered from a condition known as primary pulmonary hypertension, which caused chronic fatigue and shortness of breath. His health was progressively deteriorating. A heart and lung transplant was his only chance for survival.

Finally, a suitable donor was located—a teenage boy who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Even in grief, the victim’s family generously donated their son’s organs, giving Doug a second chance at life. With the loving support of family and caregivers at the CHRISTUS Transplant Institute, Doug eagerly and enthusiastically began his long-awaited race down the road to recovery.

As he proudly joined hundreds of other organ transplant recipients across the nation who competed in the Transplant Olympic games, Doug Black proved that he is a champion in sports, as well as life.

Barbara Davis
CHRISTUS Transplant Institute
San Antonio, Texas