How donor support helped Bret Ford prepare for a life-saving transplant
At PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend, philanthropy helped Bret Ford access supervised exercise and critical preparation for lung transplant.
Bret Ford has always been someone who keeps moving.
He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, earned a football scholarship and built a career that kept him on his feet. As a chef, and later as the owner of an award winning food truck, Bacon Nation in Oregon, long days and physical work were simply part of life. Bret was used to pushing through. Slowing down was never an option.
So, when a cough lingered, he ignored it.
It was his wife who insisted he see a doctor. That insistence changed the course of his life. A simple chest X ray revealed pulmonary fibrosis, a serious and progressive lung disease. Within months, Bret learned that his lungs would continue to fail. A lung transplant was his only chance to survive.
But before Bret could even be placed on the transplant list, his care team told him he needed to lose significant weight and build enough strength to survive the surgery. At the same time, his ability to breathe was slipping away. Everyday tasks left him exhausted and oxygen became part of his daily life.
The road ahead felt overwhelming. But Bret was not alone.
At PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center, Bret began respiratory therapy and enrolled in a supervised exercise program designed for patients with complex medical needs. Because insurance does not typically cover programs like this, donor generosity made all the difference. Through PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Foundation, Bret received a Supervised Exercise Program Scholarship, which allowed him to exercise in a medically supervised space where oxygen was available and staff understood his limitations. This lifted a huge weight, giving him access to the care, equipment and clinical support he needed without the added stress of cost.
The scholarship exists because caregivers, grateful patients and community donors came together to build sustainability for the program. In 2022, they established the Supervised Exercise Program Scholarship Endowment to ensure that patients like Bret can access this vital support for years to come.
Over time, Bret lost nearly fifty pounds. He met the requirements to be listed for transplant, and on March 29, 2024, he was officially added to the transplant waiting list.
"I would not be here without the support of RiverBend staff and my Exercise Program Scholarship," Bret says. "It made my survival possible."
Then, on September 27, 2024, the call came. An organ donor had been found.
Bret received a double lung transplant on September 29 and within days he was out of bed and walking. Just nine days after surgery, he walked out of the hospital breathing on his own.
Today, Bret continues his recovery close to home, and the Supervised Exercise Program Scholarship remains a vital part of his life. For transplant patients, movement is not optional. Exercise helps retrain the body to breathe, rebuild muscle and protect the gift of new lungs.
Thanks to philanthropic support, Bret returns to the gym several times a week. His transplant team sees the difference. His stamina continues to improve and he feels healthier now than he did before his diagnosis.
He carries deep gratitude. Bret often thinks about his organ donor and their family. He honors them with every breath he takes. He also thinks about the community members who support programs like Supervised Exercise Program Scholarship through philanthropy.
The Foundation continues to invite community members who wish to help future patients like Bret. It costs about $15,000 to provide a full year of supervised exercise services for one participant. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps ensure this life‑changing care remains available in our community.
“When donors give, they may never meet the people they help,” Bret says. “But their generosity changes lives. It changed mine.”
This is the power of philanthropy at PeaceHealth. Giving does not just support programs. It removes barriers. It strengthens patients and creates second chances at life when they matter most.
Today, Bret is grateful for the blue sky, a hot cup of tea and the simple joys of everyday life. He wakes up breathing deeply and living fully.
Because someone gave, healing was made possible.
About PeaceHealth Foundations: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Since 1890, PeaceHealth has been guided by a Mission of healing and compassion. Today, PeaceHealth Foundations carry forward that legacy — powered by philanthropy and grounded in community. As the philanthropic partner to PeaceHealth’s nine medical centers and more than 160 clinics, we help expand access, advance technology and empower caregivers to provide exceptional and compassionate care. Every gift ensures that outstanding care continues to reach families, friends and neighbors throughout the Northwest. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Discover the impact of philanthropy at peacehealth.org/foundation.
