This NYC Woman Takes A Deep Breath Thanks To A First Fully Robotic Double Lung Transplant

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Breathing is something most of us take for granted, but for millions of people, it's a daily struggle. Whether due to chronic conditions or severe illness, the simple act of breathing can become a challenge, making even the most basic tasks feel difficult. For one New York City woman, this was her reality until a groundbreaking medical procedure got her breath back on track. Read on to discover how.

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The Adventure Seeker With A Robotic Double Lung Transplant

Cheryl Mehrkar isn't your everyday thrill-seeker. Whether it was guiding underwater expeditions as a scuba divemaster or cruising on her 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster through North Carolina and Maine, she was always chasing her next adrenaline rush.

From earning a fourth-degree karate black belt to dabbling in skydiving and bungee jumping, Cheryl's life was anything but ordinary.

And now, she's added a groundbreaking chapter to her story, becoming the world's first person to receive a fully robotic double lung transplant.

"I've been in awe, it's an unbelievable thing," the 57-year-old said with excitement after leaving NYU Langone Health on Wednesday.

The Doctor Who Pushed Boundaries Of Medicine

For Dr Stephanie H. Chang, pushing the boundaries of medicine is just another day at work. On 22 October, she performed a groundbreaking minimally invasive lung transplant using the Da Vinci Xi robotic system. With precise movements and small cuts between Cheryl Mehrkar's ribs, Chang removed her diseased lungs, prepared her heart and airway, and stitched in donor lungs.

"The benefits are really significantly smaller incisions, so better healing for the patient and less postoperative pain," said Chang, who leads the Lung Transplant Programme at NYU Langone. The institute, which completed 76 lung transplants in 2023, had already made waves when Chang carried out the country's first fully robotic lung transplant earlier this year.

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A Life-Changing Procedure

Dr Stephanie H. Chang didn't just make history - she had to rethink a whole procedure to make it work. "It was a very huge milestone for us," she said. "But the reason why double-lung transplant is different is that's what a majority of patients get. So we needed to improve the single technique where it was short enough and efficient enough for us to be able to do two [lungs] in a short setting without any damage to the new organs."

For Cheryl Mehrkar, the seven-hour procedure was life-changing. "I could take a good breath almost immediately," she said, still marvelling at the result.

Fifteen years ago, though, the simple act of doing jumping jacks with her karate students left her winded, a far cry from the breath of fresh air she's enjoying today.

Mehrkar's Challenging Journey

Cheryl Mehrkar's health journey started in 2010 with a COPD diagnosis that finally pushed her to quit smoking. The condition, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, damages the lungs and limits airflow.

But it wasn't just her lungs that gave her trouble. She was later diagnosed with an overactive thyroid, causing her to lose "incredible amounts" of weight. But everything truly took a turn for the worse when she caught COVID-19 in 2022.

Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and soon she was relying on at-home oxygen therapy. Her husband, Shahin, retired to care for her, and they closed their cherished dojo last year.

Despite the challenges, Mehrkar remained determined. She set up a GoFundMe for medical expenses and underwent surgery just days after being placed on the transplant list.

"It's been such a positive, healthy experience," she said, confident that the robotic technique led to less pain and a quicker recovery.

Photo Credit: Image is AI-generated

Cheryl Mehrkar may not be seeking out thrill-seeking adventures like she once did, but she's focused on returning to the activities that truly matter. She hopes to pick up her volunteer work as an emergency medical technician with the Union Vale Fire Department in Dutchess County.

She's also planning to write to the family of the man whose lungs saved her life. "I can only imagine the grieving that family went through while I was getting better," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "And I just need them to know that he's living and he's doing good, and I will do everything I can to take care of these lungs - and that's a promise."

With a fresh breath of life, Mehrkar looks ahead, not just to the future, but to the people whose selflessness has made it possible.