Global K-pop sensation BTS has once again taken over the internet following the release of their comeback album ARIRANG after a long hiatus. The seven-member group is currently busy with its ARIRANG World Tour, with fans closely following every update. Recently, members Suga, Jin, Jimin and Jungkook surprised fans after attending a Lucha Libre wrestling match in Mexico City wearing masks to avoid attention. Amid the excitement surrounding the group, a young fan from California has now shared how BTS helped her through one of the toughest phases of her life.
How BTS helped a 20-year-old woman battling a painful disease
Jennifer Alverado, 20, revealed that the music and content created by BTS became a major source of emotional support during her battle with pulmonary hypertension and lung disease. Jennifer underwent a double lung transplant at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health in October 2024 after her health condition worsened significantly.
Speaking about her difficult journey, Jennifer told PEOPLE, that she often listened to BTS songs and even attempted to learn the group’s choreography despite struggling to breathe. She explained that dancing and following the group’s performances gave her strength during painful moments of illness.
Jennifer was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension when she was just 15 years old. According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, the condition severely affected her daily life and left her constantly exhausted. The disease reportedly made it difficult for her to enjoy normal activities and gradually impacted her physical and emotional well-being.
" "It was robbing her of not just her breath, but her life. She couldn’t do the things she enjoyed, and she constantly felt worn out," she said.
During long hospital stays, Jennifer turned to BTS content for comfort. She said she watched the group’s interviews, live sessions and videos regularly because they helped distract her from the negativity surrounding her treatment and illness. She added that their music gave her hope during moments when she felt mentally drained.
The fan also recalled how she stayed connected to the group even while using oxygen support. Jennifer shared that she would dance to BTS songs in the hospital despite getting tired quickly. According to her, BTS became a huge emotional support system during the hardest phase of her life.
Jennifer’s medical journey was filled with ups and downs. She was first placed on the national lung transplant waiting list in October 2022. However, after showing signs of improvement, doctors temporarily removed her from the list. She returned home to California and continued treatment with oxygen and medication.
Unfortunately, her condition worsened again in 2024, forcing her to return for treatment and eventually undergo a double lung transplant later that year. Following the successful surgery, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health surprised Jennifer with tickets to attend a BTS concert on Stanford’s campus on May 16.
Jennifer will attend BTS' concert
The upcoming event will mark the first time Jennifer gets to see the group perform live. Calling it a “dream come true,” she said seeing BTS in person had been her biggest goal ever since her diagnosis. Jennifer also shared that she quickly memorised songs from BTS’ new album ARIRANG and is excited to experience the fan chants and performances live.
Among all BTS tracks, Jennifer said the song Dis-ease had a particularly deep impact on her recovery journey. She explained that the lyrics about continuing to move forward despite pain and exhaustion resonated strongly with her while she battled illness, oxygen dependency and uncertainty.
For the unversed, BTS kicked off their ARIRANG World Tour 2026 on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, marking the group’s first full-group concert tour in four years after completing military service. The massive tour is expected to include over 85 shows across 34 cities and will continue until March 2027.
How BTS helped a 20-year-old woman battling a painful disease
Jennifer Alverado, 20, revealed that the music and content created by BTS became a major source of emotional support during her battle with pulmonary hypertension and lung disease. Jennifer underwent a double lung transplant at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health in October 2024 after her health condition worsened significantly.Speaking about her difficult journey, Jennifer told PEOPLE, that she often listened to BTS songs and even attempted to learn the group’s choreography despite struggling to breathe. She explained that dancing and following the group’s performances gave her strength during painful moments of illness.
Jennifer was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension when she was just 15 years old. According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, the condition severely affected her daily life and left her constantly exhausted. The disease reportedly made it difficult for her to enjoy normal activities and gradually impacted her physical and emotional well-being.
" "It was robbing her of not just her breath, but her life. She couldn’t do the things she enjoyed, and she constantly felt worn out," she said.
During long hospital stays, Jennifer turned to BTS content for comfort. She said she watched the group’s interviews, live sessions and videos regularly because they helped distract her from the negativity surrounding her treatment and illness. She added that their music gave her hope during moments when she felt mentally drained.
The fan also recalled how she stayed connected to the group even while using oxygen support. Jennifer shared that she would dance to BTS songs in the hospital despite getting tired quickly. According to her, BTS became a huge emotional support system during the hardest phase of her life.
Jennifer’s medical journey was filled with ups and downs. She was first placed on the national lung transplant waiting list in October 2022. However, after showing signs of improvement, doctors temporarily removed her from the list. She returned home to California and continued treatment with oxygen and medication.
Unfortunately, her condition worsened again in 2024, forcing her to return for treatment and eventually undergo a double lung transplant later that year. Following the successful surgery, Stanford Medicine Children’s Health surprised Jennifer with tickets to attend a BTS concert on Stanford’s campus on May 16.
Jennifer will attend BTS' concert
The upcoming event will mark the first time Jennifer gets to see the group perform live. Calling it a “dream come true,” she said seeing BTS in person had been her biggest goal ever since her diagnosis. Jennifer also shared that she quickly memorised songs from BTS’ new album ARIRANG and is excited to experience the fan chants and performances live.Among all BTS tracks, Jennifer said the song Dis-ease had a particularly deep impact on her recovery journey. She explained that the lyrics about continuing to move forward despite pain and exhaustion resonated strongly with her while she battled illness, oxygen dependency and uncertainty.
For the unversed, BTS kicked off their ARIRANG World Tour 2026 on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea, marking the group’s first full-group concert tour in four years after completing military service. The massive tour is expected to include over 85 shows across 34 cities and will continue until March 2027.
