Barbara Creed grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her early love of science, music, and theater shaped her path in life. For decades, she shared her passion for music as an elementary school teacher.
“I’ve always been surrounded by music,” Barbara said. “I sang in school choruses, church choirs and served as a cantor at Mass. Teaching children to love music was the joy of my professional life.”
Friends and family describe Barbara as active, outgoing, and optimistic, qualities that became essential as she faced a life-threatening health battle. In her 20s, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma. Though she led an active life, Barbara began experiencing worsening shortness of breath. By 2015, she required oxygen 24 hours a day.
“I knew something was wrong when I couldn’t even walk across the room without getting winded,” she recalled. “I had always been so full of energy, but suddenly even singing and teaching became impossible.”
Doctors at Northwestern Medicine diagnosed her with pulmonary arterial hypertension that had already severely damaged her lungs. Although medications provided some relief, eventually Barbara was told she would need a double lung transplant.
“My family was shocked,” she said. “My husband was deeply worried, and my children had never faced anything this serious before. But they supported me unconditionally. They knew I wanted to fight for more time with them.”
Barbara was placed on the transplant waiting list in March 2020, just as the world shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When her surgeon asked if she was willing to proceed with such a major surgery during the pandemic, her answer was clear: “I told him yes. I wanted to live, and I trusted that Northwestern would keep me safe.”
In late April 2020, Barbara received the call that lungs were available. “I was overjoyed,” she said. “Then reality hit me—I couldn’t see my family during surgery and recovery. No visitors were allowed because of COVID. For 15 days after surgery, I had no loved ones at my side. I leaned on my faith and the incredible care team who became my family in that moment.”
Barbara’s transplant was successful, and it gave her back not only her health but her life. “I feel healthier and more alive post-transplant,” she shared. “Yes, I take daily medications and have food restrictions, but those are small things compared to the joy of breathing freely again. I’ve lived to see my grandchildren grow, and my husband and I celebrated 50 years of marriage. Those are the gifts that matter.”
Wanting to share this gratitude, Barbara became a Gift of Hope Ambassador. Six months after her surgery, she began volunteering at community events to tell her story and inspire others to register as organ and tissue donors. “I wanted to give back,” she said. “A stranger gave me the chance to live, and I will spend the rest of my life honoring that gift.”
Barbara especially treasures the moments when someone decides to register after hearing her story. “My favorite memory is of a nurse who worked on a transplant floor,” she recalled. “She discovered she wasn’t registered and signed up immediately. Moments like that fill me with joy.”
She also works to dispel myths that prevent people from registering. “Misinformation and fear hold so many back,” she said. “I’ve heard people say doctors won’t try to save you if you’re a registered donor, or that you’re too old. None of that is true. Donation saves lives, including mine.”
Barbara now delights in the simple joys of life like baking for her family, painting watercolors, attending tai chi and yoga classes, and most importantly, singing once again. “Every breath I take is thanks to my donor,” she said. “Their legacy lives on in me, and I hope my story inspires others to say yes to donation. Because one ‘yes’ truly can change everything.”
