The lungs
But then a completely different chapter began. Shortly after treatment, I started feeling shortness of breath. At first it was mild, but very quickly the condition got worse. Every small effort was difficult. Breathing became a struggle. In the end, I was diagnosed with severe and progressive pulmonary fibrosis. With cancer I felt sick but still strong — but with lung disease, you feel how every breath becomes a battle. I reached a state where I needed constant care. Even getting to the bathroom was a huge effort.
"At first I was in denial — I was very afraid of the idea itself, the quality of life afterward, the surgery itself."
Surrender and hope
I felt my world was collapsing. I stopped fighting. I gave up on basic dreams — career, relationships, family. I didn't think far ahead. Only about how to get through another month. The doctors started talking about lung transplant. At first I was in denial — I was very afraid of the idea itself, the quality of life afterward, the surgery itself. But my condition kept getting worse, and eventually I got on the waiting list.
The phone call that changed everything
Three months later, the phone rang. It was the eve of Rosh Hashanah 2018. Professor Mordecai Kramer called and said they found lungs for me and I had to go to the hospital immediately. The first thing I did was call each of my nine brothers and sisters and told them I love them. In a way, it was a goodbye — I wasn't sure I would survive this operation. But the operation was successful. Just three weeks after the transplant, I was able to breathe again.
Breathing again
I live today thanks to a family that, at the hardest moment of their own lives, chose to donate organs. It's a gift that's hard to describe in words. My soul took longer to recover — I was still in the consciousness of saying goodbye to the world. There's something very profound in realizing that you're breathing with another person's lungs. The journey I've been through changed me completely. From that place, I founded Linshom — Israel Lung Association, so that people going through this journey don't feel alone. Because anyone who's walked this path knows — breathing is not something to take for granted.
"Life is a gift — and every breath is an opportunity."
— Ari Sherman
