Defy the odds.

Never lose hope.

Keep your sense of humor.

All of these describe Wayne State alumnus Shaun McCabe.

Being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis can be a death sentence. The disorder causes damage to the lungs and digestive system.

The human body naturally creates mucus but with cystic fibrosis, the mucus blocks passageways in the body. This can cause breathing problems and digestive issues. This is exactly what Shaun went through. He is the first person to receive a double lung and liver transplant in Colorado.

The risky operation that took place on March 10 has basically cured his disorder.

Shaun was on the donor list for about nine months before he was selected to receive the lungs and liver. During this time, Shaun never lost his sense of humor.

One of Shaun’s former professors at WSC, Maureen Carrigg, said that Shaun, who graduated in 2008, never showed any fear.

“I never got the sense that Shaun was scared,” Carrigg said. “He handled the disease with a lot of courage and with a sense of humor.”

Pat Janssen was one of Shaun’s closest friends while attending WSC. Both huge music nerds, the duo hosted a show called “Get Local” which highlighted the local music scene in Nebraska. During their friendship, Shaun never let the disease impede his daily life.

“It was a big part of his life, but it didn’t define him,” said Janssen, now a Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian.

Shaun is recovering well. The Denver Post reported that he was breathing much easier and was able to walk around. Even in the pictures that Shaun has posted on Facebook, he seems healthier and has a healthy skin tone, Carrigg said.

He is also reported to have gained more weight. Before the surgery, Shaun weighed only 87 pounds, but after the procedure, he is gaining back some weight.

“It’s like I’m a completely new person,” said McCabe to the Denver Post.

What is the outlook for McCabe?

He will have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life, most likely so the organs won’t be rejected by his body. However, there aren’t very many cases of these organs being rejected.

“He’s always been pretty damn resilient. There’s no way he does anything other than crush his recovery,” Janssen said.

Shaun’s life expectancy will increase by 40 percent and then advance by 50 percent after ten years, said one of Shaun’s surgeons.

Due to treatments and screenings, other patients with cystic fibrosis have longer life expectancies as compared to ten years ago.

While in college, Shaun had to deal with using a feeding tube and difficulty breathing. This didn’t stop him from being involved on campus. Shaun was in the band Bone Camaro, which played at house parties and the Max.

Adjusting to college can be difficult for anyone, let alone someone with a life-altering disease. Shaun never once tried to change who he was and never tried to fit into a mold.

“Shaun is an original,” Janssen said. “He has been ever since I’ve known him, and he’s remained that way.”

The TV and radio stations had a different atmosphere when Shaun was involved. According to Carrigg, he was really creative and that spread to others who worked with him.

The WSC Media Club, Latinos Uniting and the PR Club are planning on holding a benefit for Shaun, showcasing some bands and possibly a silent auction next month. The event will most likely include free will donation.

“It’s our turn to prop him up for once,” Janssen said.