Recently, one of Holyoke High’s own, junior Maeghan Desmarais, was diagnosed with an incurable disease known as COPD. Now is an important time for not only the high school community but for all of Holyoke to rally together to make these hard times more comforting for her.

It all started out as a normal day for 17 year old Maeghan Desmarais: she woke up, threw on some yoga pants, headed to school and went about her day. However, something started to feel off. For weeks she had been experiencing a terrible cough combined with congestion and pain in the region of her chest and diaphragm. But on this wintery day in particular, the pains became almost unbearable.

Not knowing where else to turn, Maeghan came to me, her longtime friend, and explained what had been going on. We took the most logical route, turning to the Internet for a diagnosis. Our first findings led to what is called a diaphragmatic rapture, or a tear or pulling of the diaphragms muscles. We thought this must be the answer. Following this discovery, we left school and went to the office of Holyoke’s most elite respiratory specialist, Dr. Jacques Courchesne.

After hours of testing and nail biting silence, we got the news that it was not a diaphragmatic rupture, but instead an incurable lung disease known as COPD, or, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which is a type of progressive disease that causes excessive coughing, lung pain, and a variety of other symptoms. “I have never seen a case of COPD this bad,” explained Dr. Courchesne, “which tells me one thing: the patient contracted the disease through excessive whipping and nae-naeing. All the signs point to this, she simply over worked her lungs through the repeated movement.”

Maeghan nearly collapsed. From this moment forward she knew her life would never be the same.

The next few weeks were some of the hardest for Maeghan. Once the news of her diagnosis hit the school, the whole environment turned dark; people immediately stopped whipping and nae-naeing and took to remembering the good times they had with Maeghan before the disease hit. It was hardest for some of the teachers, they often could be found crying silent tears in their rooms after class. It was devastating. Maeghan speaks on this now saying “it was a difficult couple weeks. I spent a lot of time crying while taking bubble baths and watching reruns of Dr. Phil, but then it hit me – there is so much more to life than this.”

And she was right. Soon after this revelation, Maeghan decided to not just live with COPD, she was going to do something great with her life, no matter what. Once the community saw this, the atmosphere changed once again into a motivational and spirited place. A service was held in the Taco Bell parking lot on north Hampton street where hundreds of folks showed up to support Maeghan and her new life with COPD. It was a truly moving experience for everyone involved.

Maeghan also partnered with the school board to create a scholarship to anyone passing through Holyoke High in a similar situation, which includes $100 towards books and a $20 Kmart gift card. Lastly, Maeghan has started a campaign against the popular dance craze the “whip” and “nae-nae”, she says that she never wants to see another poor child have to go through what she has gone through with COPD, and will do everything she can to put a stop to it. She can be found in the lunch room on Tuesdays and Fridays fundraising for the campaign by selling seltzer waters; so if you can find it in your heart to support the cause, please purchase one. Do it for Maeghan. Do it for COPD.

Through this experience Maeghan has learned that living with a disease can be more powerful than anything else. She has used her aliment to do good for the community and raise awareness of how dangerous popular dance crazes can be. She has made one thing clear through her inspiring actions; Maeghan Desmarais is not just living with COPD, she is thriving with COPD.

….April Fool’s.