In 1967, He Was Told He Had 2 Years to Live. In 2023, He's Riding the 5 Boro Bike Tour.
A 66-year-old man who received three organ transplants is joining about 30,000 people to ride the 5 Boro Bike Tour next month. Jerry Cahill was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 1967 when, at age 11, he was told he had a life expectancy of less than two years
Despite his diagnosis, Cahill’s father enrolled him in sporting activities as a kid, and though he encountered health challenges along the way, he credits his parents with building his mental and physical resilience.
“My life story has been fraught with a series of battles and victories. It has been a journey based on the belief that ‘you cannot fail,’ a sort of mantra instilled in me by my parents from a very young age,” Cahill writes on his blog as an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Cahill’s no-fail mantra has helped him to conquer a lot of impressive athletic feats, among them becoming a pole vaulter, pole vaulting coach, hiker, and, last but not least, a cyclist.
Cahill, one of six children, lives his life and approaches his health similarly to the way he takes on the marathon-like events he trains for. “I realized that there was no quick fix that would result in good health. I followed daily goals to keep my body, mind and spirit healthy, including paying attention to nutrition and exercise and making smart choices in my work and social circles,” Cahill writes.
Still, despite these good choices, Cahill required a double-lung transplant in 2012. “I stayed compliant with my treatments, worked with my medical team, and stayed as active as I could with a lung function of 19 percent.”
Cahill’s recovery went as planned and three months after his transplant surgery, he completed a 10 kilometer run. He continued coaching, staying active, and working as an ambassador for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
In 2019, he began experiencing liver issues. Not one to dwell, Cahill continued to pursue his athletic endeavors.
“Through it all, I have always relied on my athletic ability and competitive nature to propel me to the next step. Whether it was staying sane while alone in a hospital bed or forcing myself to wake up early for a run when I was feeling completely down, I learned that I had to ignite my body, mind, and spirit to achieve the things I wanted in life,” he writes.
In 2021, while preparing to complete an annual Bike 2 Breathe ride, Cahill experienced rapid water retention, and though he completed the bike race, his health paid the cost. “I was trying to bike, and it was impossible,” Cahill recalled.
After the race he was rushed to the hospital where he later learned that his kidneys were failing and he needed round-the-clock dialysis. Six weeks later he underwent a 16-hour liver and kidney transplant surgery.
Recovery from his second surgery has been challenging, but he is determined to stay active and to honor the donors who had allowed him to live.
It’s in their honor that Cahill will be riding in New York’s 40-mile Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday, May 7th. “He went from barely being able to walk after his last organ transplant surgery to vigorously training for the upcoming Five Boro Bike Tour,” according to CBS New York.
Cahill credits his donors for his ability to lead an active lifestyle. “When I reflect on the seemingly insurmountable odds I have faced in my life, I feel so blessed,” Cahill writes. “For my family and friends, who never gave up on me. For my medical teams, who feel more like family at this point. For my donors, people who live with such generosity and love for an unknown stranger.”
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