Transplant caregivers are an often-overlooked role who face a myriad of struggles during their loved one’s transplant journey. Ma Paz, a past House guest, recently came back to visit the House following the two-year anniversary of her husband’s lung transplant. Ma Paz first started her caregiving journey in 2021 when her husband Richard was told he would need to be listed for a life-saving lung transplant. Richard has suffered from COPD for years, as he formerly worked at the World Trade Center and was present during 9/11. When it came time for him to be put on the transplant list they found out he also had cancer.
Due to Richard’s diagnosis, his transplant had to be put on hold. However, the couple did not give up. Ma Paz began researching hospitals that would give her husband the best chance and advocated for him whenever she could. The couple eventually landed at Temple Health and by 2023, Richard was in remission and able to be listed for a lung transplant
“There’s a lot of kindness here, especially if you are going through it with a family member.” – Ma Paz, Richard’s wife and caregiver
Ma Paz stayed at the House from October to December of 2023 while her Richard was in the hospital. While initially shy, she eventually formed lasting relationships with the people she met at the House.
“There’s a lot of kindness here, especially if you are going through it with a family member” Ma Paz explains. While staying at the House, she was able to meet other spousal caregivers who could empathize with what she was going through.
No matter how hard the day was at the hospital, Ma Paz always knew that she had a comfortable place to come back to.
“There’s a relief coming back [to the House], knowing there’s dinner, there’s a place to sleep…I feel safe here at the House, I have everything.” – Ma Paz
Richard received his life-saving lung transplant in October of 2023, and after many months of recovery at the House, the Carlinos were finally able to go home.
The couple, who met at a bus stop and started dating on Christmas Eve in 2017, now reside in Delaware and enjoy going on walks, shopping, and taking vacations, even recently returning to Pennsylvania to go to Williamsport to see the museums. They still keep in contact with the people they met at The House and are grateful for the care and support they received during their stay.
November is National Caregivers Month, and hundreds of families like the Carlinos rely on the House and its services for support. For more resources on transplant caregiving, click here.
