About Jess Avenell

Hi, I’m Jess Avenell, founder of The Transplant Coach. In 2020, a double lung transplant gave me a second wind and a second chance to dream bigger, live louder, and breathe deeper. That experience shaped everything I do today as a PREKURE Certified Health Coach and Metabolic Nutrition Coach. I partner with transplantees and their support crew to bridge the gap between knowing and doing so they can move beyond survival and truly live.

Before coaching, my life revolved around managing symptoms and waiting for the next milestone. Receiving my lungs in January 2020 changed my trajectory, but it also revealed a truth I now see in my clients: even when we know what we should be doing, turning that knowledge into daily action is the challenge. My mission is to make that transition doable with clear steps, encouragement, and accountability tailored to your stage of the transplant journey.

I’m trained in evidence-based behaviour change, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, mental wellbeing and resilience through PREKURE. I’m an HCANZA Accredited Health and Wellness Coach, a member of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine, and I hold a Bachelor of Health Science from AUT University plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration in Occupational Health and Safety. I bring both professional training and lived experience to every session.

My approach is simple and human. I guide, educate and support with stage-specific coaching that meets you where you are: preparing for surgery, navigating recovery, or building a thriving long-term routine. I explain complex guidance in plain language, co-create practical plans that fit your energy and lifestyle, and provide a safe space for you and your support crew to be seen and heard. This is coaching with heart, fire and real-world wisdom.

In practice, that looks like clarifying what matters most right now, mapping small steps you can actually take, and celebrating progress as confidence builds. I use tools such as symptom and medication trackers, simple habit frameworks, and integrated care planning that complements the work you do with your medical team. We focus on sustainable habits across movement, nutrition, sleep, stress and mindset while honouring your unique context.

Clients describe feeling calmer and clearer, steadier in their minds, and stronger in their bodies. They feel more in control, better equipped to advocate for themselves, and more hopeful and grounded in daily life. That’s the change I’m here for: practical momentum, dignity, and a life that feels yours again.

If you or someone you love is navigating transplant life, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you. Together we can restore confidence, rebuild identity and purpose, and create rhythms that help you breathe easier in every sense.