Julia Linn wasn’t expected to live past 40. However, little did she know that a life-altering event was just the beginning of her amazing fitness transformation
Julia Linn suffered a challenging childhood and the complexities of juvenile diabetes when she was younger – leaving her future uncertain.
The complications of her condition left her with a daunting prognosis as she wasn’t expected to live past 40.
However, defying all odds, Julia received an experimental double organ transplant, which miraculously cured her diabetes.
Little did she know this life-altering event was just the beginning of her awe-inspiring fitness and body transformation.
“I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 11 and began taking insulin shots,” she told Cover Real Life.
“It was 1968, and diabetes was regarded as an ‘old person’s disease’.
Julia was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes when she was younger (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
“By the age of 24, I had diabetic retinopathy (blindness), neuropathy (nerve damage), kidney failure, arteriosclerosis, and early heart disease.”
She added: “My vision was saved by laser burn treatments on my eyes, but other diabetes complications progressed.
“My kidneys had failed by age 34, and my doctors prepared me for dialysis while placing me on a kidney transplant waiting list.
“They were performing experimental pancreas transplants at the time. Only about 2,000 had been completed globally, and the risks were high.
“Countless people died during or after surgery due to strokes, heart attacks, or other complications. It was up to me to risk having both organs transplanted in a 12-hour touch-and-go surgery.”
She was told she wouldn’t live past 40 (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
Julia chose to take the risk, and the search for a kidney and pancreas donor began.
“During this period, my love for humanity multiplied a thousandfold,” she said.
“I learnt that we are all inextricably linked to one another. I was basically waiting for someone to die so that I could live. Every day, I thank my organ donor.”
Gina, Julia’s organ donor, died in a car accident when she was 25.
She was with her husband at the time of her death, but Julia claimed she never knew whether Gina’s husband survived the crash.
Julia continued: “Our antigen and tissue typing matches were so close that we could have been sisters.
“Gina’s mother wrote me letters for several years before they stopped.
However, she’s now a ripped bodybuilder (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
“I believe her parents were older and have since died. They would not allow donor families and recipients to meet back then. Only letters with first names were sent through the hospital administration.
“I recently tried to locate her family and discovered that Gina’s husband was still alive. The donor network in the state where she died had discovered a current address.
“I wrote him a heartfelt letter. I never got a response. Who could blame him? He lost his wife in a car accident 31 years ago. I’m not sure how his life has moved on since Gina’s tragic death.”
After the transplant, Julia encountered another health scare and had to undergo a triple cardiac bypass and thyroidectomy. Nevertheless, she boldly decided to reshape her body, mind and spirit through the power of fitness.
Julia started going to the gym for one to two hours five days a week (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
Julia explained weight loss became a byproduct of her unwavering commitment to achieve ultimate well-being – a shift in mindset that unlocked a world of newfound energy and vitality.
“I lost over 35 pounds on my 5’1″ frame and gained a lot of stamina,” she said.
“My body became more sculpted than ever.”
She added: “I started going to the gym for one to two hours five days a week and walked for 30 to 50 minutes four times a week.
“My diet also changed. I began planning and preparing my meals for the week, ensuring enough protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. I also started using a macro system to track my food.”
A shift in her mindset ‘unlocked a world of newfound energy and vitality’ (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
So remarkable were the physical changes she experienced that she set her sights on competing in a bodybuilding contest at the age of 64.
“I’ve always been athletic and come from a sports-loving family,” Julie, from South Atlantic, explained.
“As a child, I was a competitive swimmer. As a teenager, I was a runner, cheerleader, and mountain climber.
“With the 30th anniversary of my organ transplant approaching and having turned 62, I wanted to express how happy and grateful I was to be alive, so I joined a fitness challenge. And won. Then I set a goal of a bodybuilding competition, NPC Masters Bikini, and won.”
Julia, who has over 40 years of experience as a university professor and is a certified Personal Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), is today a well-known advocate for women aged between 40 and 70.
Julia has become popular on social media after sharing her story (Image: Cover Images/Julia Linn)
On her social media platforms, she dispels the myth that menopause and ageing cause bodies to be broken, unworthy, or past their prime and debunks common myths about women and strength training, including the notion that it causes bulkiness or compromises femininity.
She also encourages women intimidated by gym environments by offering guidance to overcome barriers such as unfamiliarity with equipment or self-consciousness.
“I often tell the women I meet that it is never too late,” Julia expressed.
“You are never too old to learn. You have the knowledge and most likely the time, but you must have a why.
“My why is still gratitude for being alive in this body. I would not live past the age of 40 unless I received a double organ transplant that provided me with a functioning kidney and a pancreas. There is no reason someone in their 60s cannot improve their fitness. You just need a reason to make a change.”