son Hayden
Lee Hall, from Illogan, Cornwall, was one of the first patients at Harefield Hospital to receive a heart from a circulatory death donor.
The 26-year-old, who lives with his wife Danyelle and their one-year-old son Hayden, developed heart failure at 14. The condition was linked to chemotherapy he had as a small child to treat leukaemia. Initially, drugs improved his heart function, but aged 20 he had become frequently breathless and tired while working as an electrician. He was referred to Harefield Hospital and fitted with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical heart pump often used to keep patients alive and enable them to leave hospital while they wait for a transplant.
Lee remained in relatively good health for five years. However, in early 2015 he was put on the urgent transplant list as his health deteriorated, and was asked if he would be happy to receive a non-beating heart.
“I had previously read about this type of donated heart online so I was very happy to have one,” says Lee. “A suitable DCD heart soon became available and I had the transplant.
“I’m grateful that I’ve been cared for at Harefield, where this type of heart transplant is possible – without it I’d probably still be waiting for a new heart.
“It is hard to accept that someone has died for you to carry on living and I’d like to thank my donor and their family for making this possible.”
Lee was discharged in July after a successful recovery.