A mother of five living with stage 4 lung cancer has had her right lung removed and is awaiting an organ donor for a life-saving transplant.

Kelsey Flake of Utah previously led a very active lifestyle and even ran a half-marathon last year, her family said in a GoFundMe to support her family’s transportation costs as they travel to Chicago to support her through surgery. Now, she is undergoing surgical treatment for stage 4 lung cancer after a lifetime of never smoking, with her family saying that she was born with a “rare genetic variant” that predisposes her to lung damage and lung cancer. Four of her six siblings also carry the same variant, her family said.

Researchers with Mayo Clinic discovered in 2008 that the alpha-one antitrypsin deficiency genetic mutation doubles the risk of lung cancer, according to MPR News.

Flake, 39, is a former Division I swimmer and triathlete. She works as a real estate agent is mom to five children ages 15, 13, 11, 8 and 6.

She was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024. She underwent chemotherapy, surgery and immunotherapy, and scans later showed “no evidence of the disease,” giving her family hope for a full recovery, the GoFundMe reads.

In January, Flake’s cancer returned in both lungs, leaving her dependent on an oxygen tank. After undergoing the qualifying tests, she was approved for a double lung transplant through the DREAM Program at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. As of Thursday, Aug. 20, surgeons successfully removed her right lung, and donor lungs were located in Florida on Friday, Aug. 21.

“There is always a possibility of what’s called a ‘dry run,’ meaning that at some point during the evaluation or before surgery, the team could determine that the lungs aren’t ultimately suitable for Kelsey,” Flake’s brother John wrote in a GoFundMe update. “If that happens, we would have to reset and wait for the next opportunity.”

The Northwestern Medicine DREAM (Double lung transplant Registry Aimed for lung-limited Malignancies) Program is an “observational study,” according to the medical school’s website.

“The Northwestern Medicine Lung Transplant Program is dedicated to providing innovative services and a world-class patient experience through comprehensive transplant care,” the description of the double lung transplant program reads. “We offer a team approach to care for patients with advanced lung disease.”

As of publication, the GoFundMe has raised over $108,000 of its $120,000 goal. PEOPLE has verified Flake’s family’s fundraiser.