Read our stories of hope and inspiration, and if you are willing, write us with your own story to add here . . .
(e-mail your story for consideration to:  info@trioweb.org and put "Youth Story" in the subject line)

---

Heart (twice) and kidney  transplant recipient, age: 21, Bill Coon: 


In 1989, Bill Coon was born with a congenital heart defect. That year, he became the fourth infant heart transplant in the Midwest, and the eighth in the nation. At the age of twenty, his transplanted heart began to fail. Due to a lifetime of taking medication, his kidneys failed as well.

After he was diagnosed with end-stage heart and kidney failure, Bill unknowingly began writing his first book on Sunday, July 5, 2009. On this day, Bill began journaling his thoughts. These thoughts would later become a story of a young man's physical, mental, and spiritual journey into the depths of his mind, as he fought the clock, awaiting a double transplant and a second chance at life.

Oddly enough, when it was all over, Bill looked back on it all, smiled and said, "Knowing what I know now... I would do it all over again."

To see more about Bill's book, "SWIM, a Memoir of Survival", go to his book web site at http://billcoonbooks.com/About_the_Book.html

---

And now, what is your story?
 

---

We are thrilled to announce the launch of "
Make your comments on the story above?  click on: TRIO Bulletin Board  Log in and post your questions, ideas and topics. Communicate with other transplant recipients, donors and families.  Check out our new topics and add your own suggestions.  Help build this community with your own postings to help others.  Add your own questions and thoughts.