Lara Govendo resides in Vermont as a wild, adventurous lady who also happens to be a clinical mental health counselor. She dives deep into controversial topics by talking about her own struggles to help others feel less alone, educating about all aspects of health and encouraging others that there’s always hope. Thanks to her double-lung transplant in 2017 due to cystic fibrosis, you can now find Lara ministering with Jesus, exploring the glorious outdoors, and belly laughing with her loves. She’s passionate about connecting with like-minded people, so join her at www.laragovendo.com and on social media @Lungs4Lovey while she flies by the seat of her (no) pants.
“I don’t understand how you were laughing when all I wanted to do was cry,” my sister said, referring to the time before my double-lung transplant six years ago. In March 2017, I went into respiratory failure due…
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As I prepare to celebrate five years with my new lungs, I’m experiencing a wide range of emotions. My double-lung transplant has allowed me to do so many things I never dreamed I’d be able to do,…
When I started evaluation for my double-lung transplant in spring 2015, I didn’t have any friends in the cystic fibrosis community. As I took the brave step to join Facebook groups to make connections and learn more about…
I spent the majority of my life trying to hide my disability, so celebrating Disability Pride Month is a bit ironic for me. Who knew that my journey with cystic fibrosis (CF) and my four years since…
I used to think my medical trauma was normal. Doesn’t everyone with chronic illness go through traumatic experiences and not talk about them? When therapists helped me understand that I don’t need to have fought in a war to…
Living with chronic illness is often a lonely road. Born with cystic fibrosis (CF), I’ve often struggled with isolation, feeling alone, and living a different lifestyle from most people. Before joining my disease community, I thought I…
Mental health struggles often co-occur with chronic illnesses. This was true for me while living with cystic fibrosis, and still is, four years after my double-lung transplant. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression my whole life, and in…
My mom has always said that “in adversity there is blessing.” For Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month I wanted to share the golden nuggets of wisdom I’ve been blessed to learn while living with cystic fibrosis (CF). Even…
The world demands my constant attention. Everything that comes across my news feed is presented as an emergency. The pressure to know the latest and greatest is at an all-time high. That doesn’t help my stress levels, though. It…
Since my double-lung transplant four years ago, I’ve shared my story in several arenas. I’m passionate about spreading awareness about organ donation and how my life was able to continue because of my donor. Through these speaking engagements,…
Healing isn’t linear. The therapist in me wants to dive into the deep end, get my hands dirty, and gut out all the wounds that have compounded over my 35 years of life. The traumas I’ve experienced due…
I learned about pulmonary rehabilitation during my evaluation for a double-lung transplant in 2015-16. I didn’t know that a program existed to help me learn how to navigate life with low lung function. I had mixed feelings about…
Living with cystic fibrosis and undergoing a double-lung transplant have had profound effects on my character. I’ve been graced with the ability to dig deep amid pain and suffering and find golden nuggets of wisdom. The rarest attribute…
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Visit the Cystic Fibrosis News Today forums to connect with others in the CF community.
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