A BRADFORD man given a whole new lease of life after a heart transplant has called on others to become donors.
With World Heart Day, on Thursday, September 29, falling during Organ Donation Week, NHS Blood and Transplant is highlighting that 292 patients, including 46 children, are currently waiting for a heart transplant.
One person who knows what a difference the donation of a heart can make is Kevin Ferdinand, 43, from Bradford. He suddenly fell ill and needed a heart transplant to survive.
He said: “It was so sudden, I had breathlessness, a loss of appetite and was so tired. I thought it was simply a case of just flu or something.
"It got to the point where I couldn’t get out of bed, get dressed; the things you take for granted.
There wasn’t even time to go home. My kidneys and liver were shutting down and my heart was damaged – with only seven per cent of it working
“Things were quickly deteriorating and I was rushed into intensive care.
“Doctors told me that I would be lucky to make it through the night.”
Kevin remained in the intensive care for four months as medics tried to stabilise his heart but, sadly, as it had failed on both sides, the only option left was a transplant.
On average, Black and Asian patients wait longer for a transplant than White patients.
— Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS FT (@BTHFT) September 28, 2022
Help someone from your community and find out more about giving the gift of life. https://t.co/F2NQhBsfr6#OrganDonationWeek #OrganDonation pic.twitter.com/DV2Rmb8SDZ
However, due to the damage caused by pneumonia, a chest infection and a collapsed lung, Kevin had a further wait until he was clinically stable before he could go onto the waiting list.
Late one evening in spring 2018 he received the news that there was a matching heart.
Kevin says: “It was overwhelming when I got the news: very emotional and very frightening. You don’t know if you’re going to make it through or not.
"I have got to be a father again to Lacie-Rose, now aged six, as soon as I could I gave her a big hug.
My transplant has given me a whole new lease of life. It’s made me love my loved ones and my life even more, which is what I think my donor would want
“I always try and give back now and spread the word, I am one of the lucky ones.
"If you donate your organs you will be saving someone’s life – giving the gift of life.”
For more information on organ donation, or to register your organ donation decision, go to organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.
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