Jess (2002)

My name is Jess and I am almost 26. I have Transposition of the greater arteries (TGA), pulmonary hypertension, with Eisenmenger's syndrome. In the last few years since I originally submitted to the gallery many things in my life have changed.

I now have an EXCELLENT cardiologist, who is not just my doctor, but my friend. He attends the same church that I do and he always has time for me, whether it's after a service on Sunday or 2am on any given day of the week.

Unfortunately, on the bad side, my condition has become a LOT worse in the last few years and my activities and quality of life (in a physical sense) have dramatically decreased. I rely heavily on my family to help me with everyday tasks, I use a wheelchair quite often, and, the thing that I find scariest, is that I very often pass out and experience a LOT of very painful right ventricular angina.

The positive side to this is that it has brought my family and me a lot closer, and above all it has brought me a lot closer to God. Christ HAS to be my strength. When so much else has been taken from me, Jesus is my all.

The most exciting thing I have done recently is as follows: last year I wrote a devotional booklet to give to students in their last year of High School to have for their final exam period (about 40 days). We delivered 7500 books to students in 83 schools in our town. This year, I wrote and self published a book —my testimony, which has sold VERY well. It details my walk with God, my struggles and victories and what I have learnt through my illness.

God's grace in my life is abundant and I give Him all the glory for who I am and all He has done.

— Jess (South Africa)