Despite receiving a life-saving double lung transplant late last month, former UFC and boxing star Ben Askren is facing his most severe battle to date. After a serious case of pneumonia, Askren, 40, required emergency surgery. Doctors warned his wife, Amy, that the fighter would not survive without a transplant. Askren Has Surgery That Could Save Her Life In June 2025, doctors were able to operate on Ben after a few weeks of waiting for a donor. As her spouse is given the chance to start over, Amy used Facebook to inform her followers about Ben's health. After the usually six to twelve-hour procedure, Amy said, "We are so thankful to share that Ben has received a double lung transplant." "The donor and his family have our eternal gratitude. Although Ben is starting a new way of living, each day is a blessing. Five weeks ago, he was walking around in perfect health, and it still doesn't seem true. Things may change so fast. In your prayers, please remember Ben so that his body accepts the new lungs as though they were his own. "I am always amazed by everyone who is helping us get through this difficult time. I'm eager to share everything with Ben. "Hopefully, Ben will wait until the drugs wear off, but I'm hoping he'll be able to give the next update in the coming weeks." Ninety Days Are Vital for Survival Askren's body needs medication to adjust to the new lungs, and the first three months will be the most crucial. Askren's survival rate for double lung transplants is barely 10–15%, thus those 90 days will be the most important. His odds of life rise to 80–90% of patients surviving one year if he lives until October. Askren has an almost 50% chance of living to be 45 years old, according to Healthline. According to the material on the official website, "the survival rate for people with lung transplants has improved in recent years." Professional Information on Transplant Risks The one-year survival rate for recipients of single lung transplants from 2008 to 2015 was 86.7%, per the OPTN 2020 Annual Data Report. The survival percentage after five years was 47.3%. The survival rates for recipients of twin lung transplants were significantly greater. The one-year survival rate for adults who received lung transplants in 2019 was 89.4%, per the OPTN's 2020 Annual Data Report. Nonetheless, lung transplant recipients continue to have worse survival rates than recipients of other solid organ transplants. Additionally, survival rates can differ by facility. It's crucial to inquire about the facility's survival statistics when looking into potential surgical locations. One of the most frequent causes of early morbidity (particularly in the first two weeks) is bacterial pneumonia, according to a clinical evaluation by transplant specialist Dr. Jonathan B. Orens, MD, who also contributes to The Johns Hopkins Lung Transplant Program. The family of Ben Askren Askren, Amy Long-Term Care If all goes according to plan, Askren will surely receive the greatest treatment possible and may still live a long and healthy life. Despite a median survival rate of 6-7 years, the combat sports community is rooting for Ben to recover more fully as a husband and father to little children. WBN looked for survival rates based on information examined by top pulmonary medicine experts and U.S. transplant boards. Keep Up with Boxing News Get reliable, well-reported boxing news, exclusive interviews, and fight analysis sent directly to your inbox every day by subscribing to the free WBN Newsletter. For more, [Follow WBN on Linktree]. Concerning the Writer With more than 15 years of experience covering the world fight scene, Phil Jay is a seasoned boxing journalist. Jay has interviewed numerous world champions and covered boxing's most important events from the ringside since taking over as Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News in 2010. Learn more about Phil Jay's work as a combat sports journalist by seeing all of his articles.