Dottie Lessard
Heroes of Hope Panel member and cystic fibrosis (CF) advocate Anabel Stenzel sat down with our newest Hero, Dottie Lessard, to discuss her journey living with CF and how she inspires young kids and teenagers with CF to stay fit through her foundation Dottie’s Dream. Dottie Lessard is a life coach, speaker, and creator of Empower Pro Nutrition. She is also the author of “Seven Letters That Saved My Life.”
Anabel: What were your parents like when you were growing up? What advice would you give to parents who have children with CF?
Dottie: Growing up, my parents always told me to do anything that my heart desired and always reach for the stars. Being young and dealing with this disease, I never showed fear. I always made it a point, and I still do to this day, to live each day being happy. My parents always told me to be optimistic and be happy with myself. I would tell parents to not treat their child like he or she is sick. Being young is crucial and you should treat your child like any normal kid. This is important because when they grow up, they will realize that they were raised and treated like everyone else and will be thankful for everything you did and sacrificed for them.
Anabel: You are a CF patient and also a mother — did you come across any tough times?
Dottie: Being a parent wasn’t an easy decision. During my lung transplant about 16 years ago, I was always hesitant to be around children because I thought they carried a lot of germs. As time went on, I got to see mothers and how they were with their children, and I realized that I wanted to have children of my own. However, I was very scared at the same time. But I thought to myself that I can overcome anything that I want to overcome. Adopting my son was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Anabel: It’s been 16 years since your lung transplant. Can you tell me about your transplant experience?
Dottie: My friend had a lung transplant in 1991 and it was then that I decided it was something I wanted to look into to better my health. I waited for two years and seven months for a lung transplant before I had my surgery in 1994. My transplant was extremely long, lasting about 12 hours. I spent two and a half weeks at the hospital recovering. When I went home, I started to rebuild a new life with my new lungs and haven’t looked back since.
Anabel: What advice would you share with other families and patients who may find it difficult interacting with their doctors?
Dottie: People living with or dealing with CF have to have a level of respect for one another. You and your doctor should talk to one another and build a mutual respect in order to have a good relationship. Ask your doctors many questions because your doctors may not fully understand what you are going through, but they do hear you. Don’t be afraid to have your own voice through your CF journey; however, you need to listen to and understand your doctors as well. Your doctors have important information to help you stay healthy and live a better life. If you know something, stick with it and don’t let go of your gut feeling. Have a voice for yourself, but be respectful at the same time.
Anabel: Exercise is very important to you. Could you tell us about your exercise routine and why you think it’s important to stay active?
Dottie: Exercise and training are extremely important to me. In 1988, I was lifting weights with my boyfriend at the time and he told me that girls don’t work out at the gym. I told my father, and that very same day we went out and bought a weight set and set it up in our basement. It felt so amazing to have something like this at my fingertips and I said to myself, “No way, CF, you are not going to affect my breathing!” Working out has strengthened me both physically and mentally. I put on 15 pounds and it felt great. My weight training made me realize that I wanted to share this wonderful new feeling I was experiencing with everyone. The weight training is what led me to create the Dottie’s Dream Foundation and has been one of the most rewarding and amazing experiences of my life.
Anabel: You are a role model to so many people. Tell us about your career and how you started your foundation, Dottie’s Dream.
Dottie: Dottie’s Dream officially started in 2002. The foundation provides home exercise equipment and swim/gym memberships to children from the ages of two to 20 years old with CF who are awaiting, or have received, an organ transplant. I believe that every child with CF deserves a fighting chance, and that is exactly what we at Dottie’s Dream Foundation make sure of. It is so amazing to see a child’s face light up when we provide the tools to help the child stay active and healthy. Spending time with families and children is a great feeling. Anything I do, I do for them. If families need help financially in any way, I will help them out to the best of my ability. My career has been a very special one that I am extremely proud of.
Anabel: What do you do when you are tired or having a bad day?
Dottie: When I’m having a bad day, I think to myself, why it is still tougher for me? I see people who are doing the same thing as me and it’s hard to deal with. I try to be the best person out there and try my best to inspire someone else. I decide my own statistics and I figured out my own way to live my life to the fullest. Knowledge is the most important key, and with that power, you have the ability to look forward to the future. You have to think to yourself, how can we do this? Don’t ever stop pushing and striving for what you believe in. You have to find a way to stay strong and live longer. Live your life, embrace your challenges, and gain strength by them. Don’t let CF or your transplant define you.
Dottie's motto: “Believe you can.”
Please note: The information contained in these Heroes of Hope™ Living with CF award recipient biographies is not regularly updated. This Hero was interviewed on June 16, 2011. This information is representative only of the moment in time in which the Hero was interviewed.PUL0000626900
