We totally rely on donations to fund the charity, including this website which has remained free for over 21years.
We are very reluctant to add google ads etc, so please make a small donation to help pay for the day to day running costs of the charity and website.
Note we are non-profit and run totally by volunteers.

Transplant Chat
is our FaceBook group, you are more than welcome to join us, click image for link.

This website is dedicated to the memory of my donor
Steven Tibbey
for without his wonderful gift I wouldn’t be here today
***********************
Introduction

My name is John Fisher and I am now 59 years old, I had my heart transplant on Sunday 30th July 2000 at the age of 38

When I was first told I needed a heart transplant in order to live I was sure I was going to die either before, during or shortly after the operation, well that was over  21 years ago and I am still here.

Since my heart transplant I have met my donors family and friends. I have also taken part in several sporting events which includes running the London Marathon 15 Times (once dressed as Santa), London virtual marathon once.
I have also completed marathons in Athens, Snowdonia, Sydney, Venice, The Great Wall of China, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dublin, Stockholm, Stockholm Jubilee, Berlin Marathon, as well as being the first heart recipient to complete The Cape Town Two Oceans Ultra Marathon 35miles (56km) 5hrs 46mins 52secs not to mention several half marathons and a lot of hour and miles training.

I have also taken part in several other endurance events including The London Triathlon Six times, cycled from London to Brighton six times. I have also cycled across part of South Africa from George Town to Cape Town (where the first heart transplant was done) and completed the Ride London 100 which is a cycle race that starts and finishes in central London and takes in the Surrey hills including Leigh Hill and Box Hill. As well as a 300km over night cycle around a lake in Sweden, and been mountain climbing in Ecuador.
Not bad for a guy that couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs in July 2000 due to heart failure, I am not saying it has been easy but it is possible.

I built this website to try and show you the positive side of transplantation and try to encourage people to donate their organs for transplantation after their death,  also to offer some support and encouragement to those of you that may have to follow in my footsteps.

So here it is, the facts about heart transplantation from the horses mouth so to speak, this is the first website I have ever built, in fact I was a night club DJ before becoming ill, so this is the most I have written since leaving school. With the help of other patients and friends, I hope to show you what is involved with transplantation and what I have been able to achieve since mine.
The whole thing is very worrying to say the least, not just for the patient but for their family and friends.

Some of the best advice I can give you is; try to keep a positive attitude, always make an effort to have some get up and go, exercise even with heart failure can help but check with your doctor first and always do as they advise and remember to always take your pills on time.

This is a postcard I had made to help me promote transplantation, a friend drew it for me and Charlie (my then 9 year old daughter) coloured it in.

The yellow sandy side is supposed to represent life while ill with heart failure, if you do nothing you will die (the lion will get you).

The River and the crocodiles represent the operation, risky but there is a chance.

The green fields, woods and sunshine on the other side of the bank is hopefully a healthier, happier life after transplant.

I am one of the lucky ones I made it to the side with the green grass, woods and sunshine. With a bit of luck, a donor and the skills of your surgeon and nursing team, you too will join me and so many others on the grass side.

I Do Hope You Do Well And That This Website Helps You In Some Way

Take care and best wishes

John Fisher

Disclaimer
I hope you find this website helpful, but remember it is a collection of personal accounts of heart recipients and their individual cases no one with a medical background has endorsed this website and you should always listen to your own doctors.

Transplants Save Lives

We totally rely on donations to fund the charity, including this website which has remained free for over 21years.
We are very reluctant to add google ads etc, so please make a small donation to help pay for the day to day running costs of the charity and website.
Note we are non-profit and run totally by volunteers.

To Transplant & Beyond is a UK registered non-profit charity No 1106248

© 2000 All rights reserved