(CEDAR GROVE, NJ) – Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on life’s blessings and the people who make them possible. For Jill Szalony, 56, of Cedar Grove, this year’s holiday is especially meaningful as she and her family give thanks for 10 years since her lifesaving heart transplant. What once seemed uncertain is now a decade filled with family milestones, new adventures, and memories she will cherish forever.
On November 1, 2016, Jill received a new heart from an organ donor, giving her a second chance at life after years of battling a rare heart condition that progressed to end-stage heart failure. Today, she is grateful for the experiences she once feared she might never have, including watching her three children grow up, graduate from college, establish careers and pursue their dreams.
“When I received my diagnosis and learned I needed a heart transplant, I wanted so much and had such low expectations,” said Jill. “My doctors, my organ donor, and so many others have allowed me to exceed all of those expectations and live life to its fullest.”
Jill’s heart condition came unexpectedly. In 2006, she began experiencing health issues and was eventually diagnosed with idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy. Despite extensive testing and consultations with numerous specialists, doctors were never able to determine the cause of her heart failure. Over the next nine years, her condition progressively worsened until she reached end-stage heart failure in 2015.
The waiting period was filled with fear and uncertainty. Jill, her husband Alex Samuelson, and their three children, Benjamin, Grace and Jesse, leaned on the support of friends, family, their community, and work colleagues. NJ Sharing Network, the nonprofit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue for transplantation, also helped the family realize they were not alone.
In the early morning hours of October 30, 2016, Jill received the phone call that would change her life. A heart had become available, and she was instructed to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. After saying goodbye to her children, she and Alex headed to the hospital, where they waited another 24 hours before surgery.
“During the moments before my transplant surgery, we felt this inexplicable connection to my organ donor and her family. There were so many prayers for us, but also for them,” said Jill. “I was strangely confident that all would be well, and I went into surgery excited to wake up and start life anew.”
Following a successful transplant, two surgical nurses came to Jill’s bedside with words she will never forget: “Congratulations, you have a new heart!”
Recovery was a gradual process that required rebuilding both physically and mentally. Jill set small goals and celebrated each improvement, eventually returning to work, taking her first vacation, and rediscovering the activities she once took for granted.
“Post-transplant, there is a transition from being a sick person to being healthy and fully capable of anything. That’s an amazing and transformative process,” said Jill. “Whenever I see something new or have a new adventure, I put my hand over my heart and express gratitude for the opportunities I am receiving. I try to find something beautiful every day in the world around me.”
Today, Jill has a lifetime of memories. She has witnessed all three of her children graduate from high school and college, as well as one complete graduate school. She has watched them begin rewarding careers, including one as a professional musician, another as a social worker, and a third as a development specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
She has also traveled extensively with her family, exploring Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Dubai. Now working as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst for the Glen Ridge Public School system, Jill continues to enjoy cooking, gardening, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
“Seeing my children grow up and start their careers has been so rewarding,” said Jill. “I have been able to experience weddings, celebrations, family trips, and so many of life’s big and small moments.”
While Jill has yet to learn her donor’s identity or personally thank her family, she continues to feel a deep connection to the woman whose gift made these experiences possible.
“I remember her legacy by living my life to the fullest and having as many adventures as possible,” said Jill. “I take my donor with me wherever I go. She’s a part of all that I do and see.”
Giving back has also become an important part of Jill’s journey. She volunteers with NJ Sharing Network and serves on a Patient Family Advisory Council, where she works to improve the hospital experience for patients and their families.
As Jill and her family gather this Thanksgiving, she hopes her story will remind others that the decision to become an organ and tissue donor can make a lifetime of memories possible for another family.
“While I was registered as an organ and tissue donor, I never once thought I would need a transplant,” said Jill. “Organ and tissue donation is about love, hope, and renewal. It’s about new starts and forever memories.”
According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), more than 100,000 Americans – including more than 3,000 New Jerseyans – are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, while one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 75 people. To learn more or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit NJ Sharing Network’s website at www.NJSharingNetwork.org.
PHOTO CAPTION #1 – Jill Szalony, 56, of Cedar Grove, recently marked the 10th anniversary of her lifesaving heart transplant. She is grateful for the many family milestones, travels and new experiences made possible by her organ donor’s selfless gift. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)
PHOTO CAPTION #2 – Jill Szalony of Cedar Grove shares a special moment with her husband, Alex Samuelson, and their three children, Benjamin, Grace, and Jesse. This Thanksgiving, the family is celebrating 10 years since Jill’s lifesaving heart transplant. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of NJ Sharing Network)