Limavady man's fundraiser to say thanks for ‘generous and amazing donation’ of a new heart
A Limavady man who received the ‘generous and amazing donation’ of a new heart has organised a fundraiser to say ‘thank you’ to the team of people who helped to save his life.
Aaron McDaid spent six years waiting for a heart transplant and finally, in April of this year, that wait ended when he went through transplant surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, England.
Diagnosed by chance when he was 25 years old, Aaron had gone to his doctor for a route check up, after which he was referred to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry/Londonderry to have an irregular heartbeat investigated.
Tests revealed that Aaron had restrictive cardiomyopathy. Further investigations were required so Aaron was referred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where specialists liaised with international medical experts, trying to find similar cases but to no avail.
Attempts were made to repair Aaron’s irregular heart beat by physically stopping and restarting his heart but this proved to be unsuccessful too.
Aaron’s partner Cathy explained: “DNA tests were done to see if it was in Aaron’s and his sons’ DNA and also checked his brothers who all came back clear.”
Aaron’s sons are still monitored every two years – and will be for the rest of their lives.
"The Royal couldn’t do any more than that so he was referred to Freeman Hospital in Newcastle,” continued Cathy.
"Aaron’s been a patient there ever since and they monitored him twice yearly, monitored his meds and his heart to keep him going.
"After nine years of being monitored and his symptoms gradually getting worse, he was placed on the waiting list for a new heart.
"They continued to monitor him and and he had to have his mobile phone on him at all times in case he got a call about a potential new heart.
"He has had seven close calls before finally getting the call that finally meant he got his new heart.”
That call came in April this year.
Aaron got a call at 5.30am informing him that an ambulance was en route to collect him. He was transferred to Woodgate Aviation at Belfast International Airport and flown to England on a specially equipped medical plane.
After check ups and preparatory work, it wasn’t until 2am the following day that it was confirmed that the donor heart was a match for Aaron – and one hour later, he was in surgery.
Cathy continued: “Surgery went well and he made steady progress and spent five weeks at Freeman before being allowed to go home with weekly appointments as follow-ups.
"Now we are down to fortnightly appointments and still, all is going in the right direction!”
Now to say thank you, Aaron is fundraising for the Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association “Having seen at first hand the sheer amount of people that it takes to see you through this important milestone – the ambulance drivers, the doctors and nurses and consultants, the surgeons, blood donors, the pilot, the ward staff – he wants to give back,” she said.
"And most importantly, to the donor who without the generous and amazing donation, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” added Aaron.
There will be a coffee morning in Limavady Methodist Church, Irish Green Street, on October 10 from 10am-1pm.