NU surgeons perform 1st double-lung transplant on Chicago police officer who had lung cancer, COVID

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Surgeons at Northwestern Medicine have performed a double-lung transplant with something they haven't encountered before.

Chicago police Capt. Arthur Gillespie had one lung damaged from lung cancer and the other damaged by COVID.

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It was March of 2020 when he got a severe case of COVID, and was diagnosed with cancer around the same time.

"If it wasn't for the COVID, there's no telling how long because there was no symptoms or signs that was presenting themselves that let me know I was in that condition. So I just had to be grateful that it was caught when it was caught," Gillespie said.

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Gillespie received his new lungs at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in January, and doctors say he continues getting stronger every day.