O’Neil already traveled throughout the United States for his previous job before he met his wife Wendy, but he often found himself excessively tired behind the wheel, nearly falling asleep at times. 

His sleep worsened for over a decade despite using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, and it led to challenging times. 

David O'Neil, who was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, turns on Inspire® therapy before falling asleep in his tent while traveling on safari in Kenya.

His wife Wendy runs a non-profit called Pearls with Purpose, which requires travel around the world including to Africa, South America and Asia, but O’Neil wasn’t sure he could join her mission due to his lack of energy from poor sleep. 

Everything changed in 2021 after he began Inspire® therapy, however. Not only did his quality of sleep improve, but his newfound energy allowed him to be more involved with his wife’s non-profit organization – a rewarding, “life-changing” opportunity.  

“It was a night and day difference,” O’Neil said. 

Struggling with OSA

O’Neil is always on the go, but for about a dozen years, he struggled with severe OSA, which means he stopped breathing 30 or more times per hour while sleeping.

The disease may cause side effects including daytime drowsiness and loss of energy, and this was the case for O’Neil.

He didn’t have enough quality sleep, and it led to daytime fatigue. Driving long distances also became a concern due to how tired he felt.

O’Neil first used a CPAP machine to treat his OSA, and he was still using it when he met Wendy in 2020. He unfortunately wasn’t getting the same sleep results as before, and he often woke up feeling congested.

David O’Neil’s wife Wendy started Pearls with Purpose in 2002 with work from the Philippines, and the non-profit organization expanded to include women from eight countries around the world.

He loved that his wife Wendy was running an extremely rewarding non-profit organization, but his lack of quality sleep made him doubt that he could keep up with his wife’s travel around the world, sometimes requiring 20-plus hour flight to reach their destination. 

The travel also included visits to remote villages, where there is often no power or distilled water, so it was a challenge for O’Neil to find the supplies he needed to use his CPAP during these trips.

Another issue was dealing with power outages even when electricity was available.

In 2021, he learned of an alternative called Inspire therapy, a second-line treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. He researched more and later went to see an Inspire-trained doctor in Riverton, Utah.

O’Neil took another in-home sleep study to confirm his severe OSA, and he later qualified for the Inspire implant procedure after he passed an airway exam. He received his implant in June 2021.

His sleep began to improve soon after activation, and he also noticed a difference in his energy levels after a few months.

“It has been an awesome experience ever since I received Inspire as I travel all the time,” O’Neil said.

In June 2024, O’Neil was on a safari in Kenya when the power went out, and while a couple friends who also had OSA struggled to sleep well, he slept peacefully.

O’Neil went to Uganda that same month, a 26-plus hour flight with stops at 10 different airports. He didn’t struggle sleeping on the plane this time, though. He simply turned on Inspire therapy with a click of a button on his Inspire remote when he needed nap, allowing for more sleep during the long journey.

“Even if I only had 2 or 3 hours to fall asleep, at least it was restful”, O’Neil said.

The other issue O’Neil avoided is the bag limit and restrictions when traveling to certain countries. It may have been difficult to carry enough supplies for his CPAP machine during his visits to Africa, for example.

Today, O’Neil is not only able to function well throughout the day, but he is able to help change the lives of women with his wife, as they continue to expand Pearls with Purpose.

Making a difference

O’Neil works long hours in hot temperatures and is usually on his feet, so being well-rested is a priority.

This helps him commit more energy to assist in his wife’s mission.

David O’Neil visited Uganda recently to help artisans and will continue his travels throughout the rest of the year with stops back in Uganda and to the Philippines.

Pearls with Purpose began with a vision from Wendy: to help women enjoy sustainable lifestyles in developing countries. The O’Neils use the nonprofit to empower these women through entrepreneurial training and fair-trade practices; all from the comfort of their own homes.

They offer training to create jewelry and clothing, “dedicated to sustainable self-reliance for disadvantaged individuals.” This includes abused or abandoned women and even survivors of sex trafficking. Women may even seek training to help provide for their children.

“We always are willing to help because some of these people may never get an opportunity like this again,” O’Neil said.

Pearls with Purpose is now in eight different countries, starting in 2002 in the Philippines and expanding to Kenya, Dominican Republic, Peru, India, Cambodia and Thailand.

The O’Neils travel throughout the year, going between countries and back to the United States to attend tradeshows where they can sell custom creations from these women. They work with the artisans to ensure quality, and they make sure every artist receives proper compensation for their work.

They also teach them how to run their own business and make products with a local connection. This includes using pearls, gems, wood carvings and knitted products in the creations.

The women work at home a couple of hours a day while taking care of their children and often even their foster children. This makes it easy for them to earn a weekly income and still be at home to care for their family, a benefit that assists mothers and guardians who may take care of up to 15 children at one time.

“My wife started this and has trained over 650 women and gives them access to consumers they would never have in their home country,” O’Neil said.

The O'Neils are happy to help as many women as possible, so they welcome newcomers, and now that David is successfully treating his severe OSA, it allows him and his wife to do more together and more for the non-profit.

During his June 2024 trip, O’Neil learned about schoolteachers in a Uganda village who wanted help, so they extended their days from six hours of training to nine to accommodate them.

David O’Neil took photos of animals during his safari trip in Kenya after sleeping well with Inspire® therapy and having more energy to enjoy his day.

O’Neil doesn’t think he would be able to go that extra mile without Inspire therapy and said this has been a life-changing experience. 

The O’Neils are also taking a much-needed vacation later this year to Bali with a stop in the Philippines to visit their artisans. 

The energy needed for so much travel is not an issue anymore.

“If I did not have Inspire, I could not be doing this,” O’Neil said. “I could not function for a day, let alone a month.”