So glad you are here

Every morning since my heart transplant, I write the number of bonus days I have accumulated on a calendar that hangs in our kitchen. One of my favorite moments is when my husband looks at that calendar and says, “Happy bonus day 617. I am so glad you are here.”

There is something so beautiful about that moment - so poetic and so kind. It acknowledges how hard the road has been and how grateful we are to be standing in our kitchen together, greeting another day.

I have spent my entire life living with chronic illness. With that often came the feeling that I was alone in what I was experiencing. Each new diagnosis and treatment plan left me wondering what my life would look like once I walked back through the hospital doors and returned to the rest of the world.

Days in the hospital could turn into weeks or sometimes months. It could feel isolating and all-encompassing. I would endlessly scroll through my phone or look out the window as everyone else went about their days, living their lives, while I sat alone with my thoughts in a hospital room.

That is why I feel so strongly about creating a printed magazine that patients can hold in their hands during treatment, appointments, recovery, or the long wait for an organ transplant. I wanted to create something filled with people whose experiences might mirror their own and whose scars might look like the ones on their bodies. Something created by people who understand the language of illness and transplant without needing an explanation.

Our small but mighty team creates Bonus Days because we know how meaningful it can be to hold these stories in your hands. Through honest writing, beautiful photography, trusted resources, and moments of joy, its pages share the experiences of people who have already walked parts of this complicated road.

Bonus Days exists to remind readers that there can be a beautiful life waiting for them, even when they cannot yet imagine what it might look like. We make room for the fear, grief, gratitude, uncertainty, and ordinary moments that are all part of receiving and living with - the gift of more time.

Our goal is to place Bonus Days in transplant centers, hospitals, and doctors’ offices throughout the country so that it can reach people when they need it most. Whether you read the magazine, share it with someone you love, purchase copies for your patients, or partner with us, you are helping someone in this community feel seen, understood, and less alone.