Not another 40 list
Later this year I will be 40. Not such an unusual thing - world wide there will be oodles of people turning 40.
But, unlike many woman, I will not be hiding the fact that I'm going to be 40 (as you may have already gathered) and I am in fact very glad that I'll be blowing out 40 candles. I have a very good reason to celebrate another year.
Two years ago I was put on the waiting list for a lung tranplant. I have a very rare lung disease called lympangioeleiomyomatosis, or LAM for short. There is no cure or treatment for this disease and I when I was diagnosed I was just 25 and all the literature said that the average lide expectancy was just 10 years. As I'd had my first sympton when I was only 19 (one of my lungs collapased) the numbers didn't look good and turning 40 didn't seem to be something I would ever do.
But here I am, a "new" woman thanks to my donor and have a new life which I am certainly making the most of.
Last year on my birthday I stood on the 4th plinth in Tranfalgar Square as part of Antony Gormley's One&Other project (it was pure luck I was selected for that day) You can still see how I used my time to promote both organ donation and the national charity for LAM by visiting The Web Archive.
So what am I going to do this year? Well I just don't know. And this is where I need your help. I want your suggestions, but there is just one rule. If you suggest something, you must know something about how I can achieve it. It's no use saying learn to tap dance if you can't supply me with a tap dance teacher!
So what shall I do.....? Let me know.
To Learn More About LAM visit LAM Action
To Learn More About Organ Donation visti NHSBT Organ Donation
Best Wishes
Clare Lauwerys
