Story by Kimberley McNeil
Aisha Rea’s resilience has gotten her through immense, literal, heartache. While in high school, fatigue and chest pain spurred her to go to the hospital. The result: she underwent a valve replacement, her first of many heart surgeries.
Almost a decade and several surgeries later, Rea and her family were given the surreal news that she required a heart transplant. She was only 25 years old at the time. Thankfully, they found a replacement heart for her.
“When I found out they had a new heart for me, it felt like being on The Bachelor,” Aisha remembers. “Instead of, ‘Will you accept this rose?’, my cardiologist asked, ‘Will you accept this organ?’ Of course, I said yes. I thought to myself, ‘I’m going to live!’”
This positive news was what Rea needed. Pre-transplant, one of her surgeries had left her vocal cords paralyzed. Consequently, she lost her ability to sing. This was heartbreaking as Rea had been an opera singer, a talent she shared with her father. Fortunately, through courage and family support she was able to reconnect with her love of music, and she later joined a choir.
Rea’s family has been her biggest support. Whether she needed to recover from an organ rejection, a surgery, or countless blood transfusions, they’ve never left her side. They have helped her navigate the medical decisions and the loss of her youth, always doing what they could.
“My brother, Adam, has accompanied me on many trips to the hospital, including the fateful air ambulance trip to get my new heart. My father, Don, has donated blood and plasma more times than I can count.”
In 2019, the Rea family pledged a multiyear gift to Calgary Health Foundation in thanks for the incredible care given at Foothills Medical Centre and to try to alleviate heartache for others.
“My family’s hope is that this gift will leave a positive legacy to other families who face a similar situation,” Rea says. “We also hope it lights the way to others to do the same.”
To leave a positive legacy to other families just like Aisha’s, email
[email protected] or donate below.
