A man who received a heart transplant in England in the 1980s has become the longest surviving recipient.
Bert Janssen, from the Netherlands, was just 17 years old when he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
His cardiologist arranged for London-based transplant pioneer Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub to perform the operation at the capital’s Harefield Hospital in June 1984.
At that time the procedure had not yet been carried out in the Netherlands.
The 57-year-old has survived for 39 years with his donated heart, making him a Guinness World Record holder.
Bert Janssen, from the Netherlands, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy when he was just 17 years old, which makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
Mr Janssen’s cardiologist (pictured with wife Petra and sons Ivo and Guido) arranged for London-based transplant pioneer Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub to perform the operation at the capital’s Harefield Hospital in June 1984.
The 57-year-old (pictured at Harefield Hospital in June 1984 after the transplant) has survived for 39 years with his donated heart, beating the previous UK record of 38 years.
Mr Janssen said: ‘It all happened very quickly. Just a week after arriving in Harefield, two hearts from a major car accident in London became available.
“I had a match with one of these and they transplanted my heart.”
Janssen said the new heart allowed him to “quickly return to a good quality of life,” playing tennis and volleyball and getting a full-time job.
He married his wife Petra in 1996, welcomed his sons Guido and Ivo in 1996 and 2000, respectively, and is now passionate about aerial planning.
Mr Janssen added: “One of my proudest achievements was, together with my wife Petra and our parents, building our own house brick by brick.”
His operation was the 107th transplant performed at Harefield.
The first was performed by Sir Magdi in 1980 and since then the center has performed thousands of transplants, of which 54 were carried out in 2022/23.
Dr Fernando Riesgo Gil, consultant cardiologist and heart transplant service leader at Harefield Hospital, said: “It is fantastic news to know that one of our first Harefield transplant patients continues to live such a full and happy life so long after your transplant.” ‘
According to data from the NHS Blood and Transplant website, as of last week there were 7,314 adults on the active transplant waiting list in the UK, along with 248 patients under 18 years of age.
Of the total, about 334 are waiting for hearts.
“Unfortunately, many of these people will die on the waiting list because we have a shortage of organ donors in this country,” Dr. Gil warned.
“I hope that Bert’s story serves as an encouragement for the public to consider registering as an organ donor, to give the gift of life.”
Janssen said he is “still grateful for the incredible gift” his donor gave him and hopes his story will inspire others.
“I never could have imagined I would go this far, but I still always admired other people who received their donor hearts longer than me,” she said.
‘It’s an honor to have reached this milestone, but what I think is more important is that I set a benchmark for others. It is now officially proven that it is possible to get here with a donor heart.
“I suppose the score will advance a little further and I will be delighted if others surpass my record in due time.”
Steve Syer, from Gloucestershire, received a heart transplant in 1984, when he was in his early forties. Like Mr Janssen, Mr Syer also suffered from cardiomyopathy and the procedure was carried out by Sir Magdi and his team at Harefield Hospital.
Janssen has survived longer with his heart than the UK’s oldest survivor, who died in August 2022, 38 years after receiving a donor heart.
Steve Syer, from Gloucestershire, received a heart transplant in 1984, when he was in his early forties.
Like Mr Janssen, Mr Syer also suffered from cardiomyopathy and the procedure was carried out by Sir Magdi and his team at Harefield Hospital.
The heart came from a donor who had died in a car accident, and Syer vowed to care for it for the rest of his life, according to his wife, Chris.
He died shortly after his 80th birthday after a brief illness.
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that causes the walls of the ear chambers to stretch, thicken, or become stiff.
There is no cure for the condition. Lifestyle changes such as eating healthier, exercising more and reducing alcohol consumption can all help manage symptoms.
Other treatments include medications to control blood pressure, surgery to remove part of the thickened heart muscle, and a pacemaker to regulate heart rhythm.
A heart transplant is recommended as a last resort.