N.S. woman facing heart transplant rejection hopes to make memories, leave a legacy

A Nova Scotia woman is determined to make memories after learning her heart transplant is failing.

A young Nova Scotia woman is making every second count after receiving some devastating news.

Rebecca Gillis should have her whole life ahead of her, but she recently learned her heart transplant was failing.

“I had a biopsy at the end of October and that biopsy showed aggressive rejection in my heart,” said Rebecca.

She said doctors told her, at that point, she could either be admitted to hospital to start treatment or begin the process of going into palliative care. Being just 28 years old, she chose treatment.

After two weeks in hospital, another biopsy was done. While there was some improvement, she said it wasn’t enough.

“Essentially, the rejection cannot be reversed. It’s irreversible, and surgery or any other operations are not and will never be an option, including re-transplantation,” said Rebecca. “My option now is to slow down the rejection with the medication I’m on.”

Heart transplant

Rebecca was born with complex congenital heart disease. When she was five, her family travelled to Toronto to see if she was a candidate for a heart transplant. At the time, the Pictou, N.S., community rallied around her family to help with expenses.

“Her situation is very unique. There’s nobody exactly like her case,” said Rebecca’s mom, Jennifer Gillis.

They returned home from Toronto in 2003 without the news they were hoping for. As the years went by, Rebecca continued receiving checkups and eventually became a heart transplant candidate.

She received her transplant when she was around 14 years old.

“After I got my transplant, I did notice that I could breathe better. I can walk better. I can do different things. So, when I was at my healthiest, I was giving back. I was doing fundraisers,” said Rebecca.

“They tell you when you get a transplant that the expectation is around 13 to 15 years. I made it 13 years, so it’s not completely out of the ordinary, but it is still sad nonetheless.”

Since receiving the news, Rebecca has moved back to Pictou to be closer to her mom, who is also her caregiver.

“Nobody ever wants to get a diagnosis like that, and it’s hard to stay strong, but I’m a mother, and that’s what I have to do,” said Jennifer.

Bucket list

While the news was “scary, sickening, and earth-shattering” for Rebecca, she wants to use whatever time she has left to make memories and leave a legacy.

“The biggest thing on my bucket list that I want to do is take my niece Daisy to Disney World,” said Rebecca.

She went there on a Make-A-Wish trip when she was three, and hopes to make lasting memories for her family for years to come.

Rebecca’s bucket list includes a variety of items — including dying her hair green again and enjoying some spa days. Rebecca and Jennifer have already checked one item off: getting matching tattoos.

“I’m going to do whatever I can. I’ll talk to whoever I can. I will beg for help from whoever I can to make these dreams come true,” said Jennifer.

While they don’t know how much time they have left together, they are making the most of every second.

“We all have busy lives. We all have other commitments, but right now, Rebecca is 1,000 per cent my focus,” said Jennifer.

Leaving a legacy

As Rebecca reflects on her life and the legacy she wants to leave, she said it’s not about what’s physically left behind.

“It’s about what you leave inside of people and the message you give, and so my biggest message is to always give kindness, be generous, give when you can and help those in need,” said Rebecca.

Throughout her life, she and her mother have become advocates for organ donation — seeing firsthand the impacts it can have on a family.

“It is such a tremendous gift for the family and for the receiver, and it is something that doesn’t go unnoticed,” said Rebecca. “There are really no words to put in how you feel for the donor families.”

Jennifer feels the same.

“Life really is precious. Your organs that you have can give people great years that they may never have had,” said Jennifer. “Rebecca was sick and never had the fullest life until transplant.”

While Rebecca’s future is uncertain, she’s trying to stay strong.

“I will never say that I’m hopeless. Because I will never not have hope. Like, ever.”

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