This week on Gift of Life – The Organ Transplant Podcast, we meet Sonja Dalbey, whose journey began the day she was born.

Diagnosed as a “blue baby,” Sonja faced serious heart challenges from the very beginning of her life. But as she grew older, doctors discovered her condition was far more complicated than anyone first realized. During a heart catheterization in third grade, her family learned that her heart problems went much deeper than expected.

What followed was a lifetime filled with uncertainty, surgeries, setbacks, resilience, and hope.

Through every up and down, Sonja continued fighting forward with courage and faith. Years later, after enduring a lifetime of heart complications, she reached the point where a heart transplant became her only option for survival.

In this emotional and inspiring episode, Sonja shares:

• What it was like growing up as a child with congenital heart disease
• Discovering the seriousness of her condition at a young age
• The surgeries and medical challenges she faced throughout life
• The difficult road that eventually led to heart transplant
• The gratitude she carries for her donor and second chance at life
• The overwhelming blessing of living long enough to see her grandchild born

Sonja’s story is a powerful reminder of perseverance, faith, and the incredible gift of organ donation. Her journey shows how hope can carry us through even the hardest seasons of life.

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