John - heart and kidney recipient, ACT

Man in a bright green shirt holding his hands in the shape of a heart. He is standing outside and you can see a large expanse of blue sky and mountains in the background.

It’s an amazing improvement. I can exist without pain and interact with my friends and family without the brain fog that comes along with ill health.

With a family history of Polycystic Kidney Diesase, John had known for a while that he may experience kidney failure at some point in his life. In 2016, he received the news that a kidney transplant was on the horizon.

‘I knew a kidney transplant was likely in my future, but it was still difficult news to receive,’ John said.

‘In total, I was on and off the kidney transplant waitlist for around 3 years.’

Initially, John was fortunate enough to have a friend who was willing to donate their kidney as a living donor. But, as time went on, it became clear that wasn’t going to be an option.

‘In 2023, I was told I had Dilated Cardiomyopathy. It came as a huge shock,’ John said.

‘Heart failure happened rapidly after that. Once I was put on the heart transplant list, I waited less than a month until I got the call in January this year.

‘It was both amazing and scary. The transplant team let me know I’d be in ICU and intubated after the surgery, so I wouldn’t be able to contact my family right away. Thankfully, about 20 hours after my successful surgery, I was able to speak to my wife.’

Post transplant, John’s life has improved dramatically. Initially, he started his recovery by doing short walks every day and now he’s getting back into beloved hobbies.