Wedding photographer Alison Conklin has a deep love for storytelling, traveling, and capturing beautiful moments. Ever since her heart transplant, she makes sure to never take life for granted.
“I’ve celebrated birthdays beyond 42 – something that once felt uncertain. I’ve watched my sons step into adulthood. I’ve walked beside my husband instead of trailing behind him,” she said.
Alison was diagnosed with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) when she was 13 years old. Just months later, her mother passed away from the same condition at the age of 42.
Alison’s medical journey was long and complicated. “It wasn’t dramatic at first,” she explained. “It was a slow burn.”
Her health declined slowly every year. Eventually, her implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device had saved her life on far too many occasions.
In July of 2022, Alison was told that she would not survive more than 6 months without a heart transplant. She was 42, the same age her mother was when she died.
Three months later, Alison received her lifesaving transplant.
She recovered from surgery day by day. For the first time ever, she was living with a healthy heart, and eventually, she started to get stronger. Every small win counted as she went through cardiac rehabilitation and physical therapy. Alison’s transplant gave her the gift of time to regain stamina and strength.
Now, Alison and her family live without the constant state of worry that existed before. She has had the privilege of watching her sons grow up, something that her own mother didn’t get to do.
“I carry gratitude every day in the way I choose to live,” Alison shared. “I try to show up fully. I try to be present. I try to use my voice to advocate for organ donation so that more families can experience the same gift of extended time.”
Give a family the gift of life. Register to be a donor today: https://donatelifepa.org/