It’s an amazing concept, removing one’s diseased heart and replacing it with another human’s heart. From the donor and donor’s family, it is the ultimate sacrifice and gift one human can give another. To the recipient, it is the second chance at life, forever filled with gratitude of that gift.
This website would be incomplete if the unknown donor’s family were not recognized for their amazing gift to Jim, Jim’s family and all the lives touched by this amazing heart transplant journey. To the donor family, know that your loved ones heart is beating very strongly in a man who is full of compassion and appreciation. A man who is surrounded by hundreds of caring family and friends who have also expressed gratitude for this ultimate gift. The gift of the heart has truly blessed Jim, as well as untold numbers of individuals sharing this experience. Thank you seems to be two very small words unlikely to truly convey the appreciation and sentiments of Jim, his family and friends.
In addition, this story would also be incomplete without the expressed gratitude to the truly amazing medical professionals and facilities of St. Luke’s Mid American Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri. Their true compassion for the healing arts is evident their care and support of transplant process.
Jim’s heart transplant was the 564th adult heart transplant performed at St. Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, MO. St. Luke’s reached its 500th transplant milestone in June 15, 2012. In 2011, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute celebrated its 25th anniversary of cardiac transplantation and this new milestone builds on a heritage of success treating patients with advanced heart failure.
According to St. Luke’s website, “Five hundred transplants speaks to the commitment and unbelievable focus of the institution and its dedicated team of professionals,” said Julie Quirin, Saint Luke’s Hospital CEO. “Milestones like this are a cause for celebration and reflection. But while statistics and accolades are nice—it is seeing transplant patients like Mr. Lynch go on to lead productive lives that gives everyone at Saint Luke’s the most satisfaction.”
Saint Luke’s offers the only transplant program in Kansas City and the surrounding area between Denver and St. Louis and partners with referring cardiologists across the country. The program ranks among the top 10 for number of adult transplants nationwide and has consistently achieved excellent short and long-term survival rates. Compared to 80 percent of U.S. heart transplant programs, which perform 15 or fewer heart transplants per year, for the past six years, Saint Luke’s has performed more than 30 procedures each year. Last year, the program performed 43 heart transplants. Wait times at Saint Luke’s are shorter than other programs across the nation, in part because of the altruism of donor families and the experience of the team. Nearly 80 percent of patients listed for transplant at Saint Luke’s are transplanted within six months.
The hospital has been awarded the Medal of Honor for Organ Donation from the Department of Health and Human Services for its success in increasing the number of organs available for donation. “Thanks to the gift of life from donor families, and help from the Midwest Transplant Network, we continue to be able to provide an opportunity for a second chance at life through transplantation,” Dr. Borkon added.”