RALSTON, Neb. — A Ralston firefighter with cystic fibrosis was approved for a lung transplant after battling the disease since he was an infant.
It means that Mike Bramhall, 23, can continue to serve as a firefighter. He shared the good news via Twitter on Monday.
Well it’s happening. Duke approved me for lung transplant. AND I can continue firefighting after the surgery!! Only a couple weeks :)
— Mike Bramhall (@mbramz) June 21, 2016
When he was 4 months old, Bramhall was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder affecting the lungs as well as the liver, pancreas and kidneys, reported Live Well Nebraska.
“There is a two to four week average wait time after listing,” Bramhall said. “I’m honestly overjoyed.”
Bramhall’s transplant approval comes at a much needed time, after doctors told him he had a collapsed lung.
“A little over a month ago, I had just gotten off work. I was having some rib pain. And I worked like 72 hours straight. I thought it was just from sleeping awkwardly on a cot or something,” Bramhall said.
Despite being initially told he was not sick enough to be considered a transplant candidate, Bramhall and his family have searched for a hospital that would place him on their transplant list.
After the surgery, Bramhall will be able to return working as a volunteer firefighter; his illness will no longer prevent him from his passion for firefighting.
Considering the cost of a transplant can exceeds $500,00 Bramhall’s community has set up a fund with money raised to help cover the cost of the double transplant, reported KMTV.
5 year old Ted won 1st in Papio parade. Dressed as Mike Bramhall in the “community hero” entry position. pic.twitter.com/MTPHJeegiT
— MeanStreetsSarpy (@MeanStreetSarpy) June 18, 2016
“There is nothing in this world that makes me as happy as firefighting/EMS,” Bramhall said. “If I have to get a lung transplant to continue to do that, then that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
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