Manchester’s world-renowned Heart and Lung Transplant Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital has reached a major milestone – completing its 1,500th transplant.
The unit, which carried out its first heart transplant in April 1987, is one of only five specialist centres in the UK offering adult heart and lung transplantation, and the only one serving patients in the North West of England. Since then, people from across the region and beyond have benefitted from life-saving surgery and pioneering treatments.
Alongside transplants, the team has led the way in using mechanical heart pumps – known as ventricular assist devices (VADs) – to keep patients alive until a suitable donor heart becomes available. More than 180 patients have received long-term VAD support to date.
The programme itself owes its beginnings to the New Start charity, founded in 1986. Local supporters raised the funds needed for the first operations and continued to sustain the service until national funding was secured. The charity remains a vital partner today, supporting patients and their families.
One of the 1500 people who have had their lives saved by the Wythenshawe Hospital’s Heart and Lung Transplant Centre is Martyn Jackson, a 31-year-old paralegal from Wigan.
Martyn had lived a very healthy life, after playing in Manchester United’s academy as a teenager, he went on to play for several non-league clubs. It was during his time at Ramsbottom United that he became unwell and needed a heart transplant:
“I had no signs of illness beforehand and had lived my life without issue. Everything seemed fine, I’d just got married in Paphos and I was happy. It wasn’t until I got a viral infection in October 2024 that my transplant story began.
“I collapsed at home during the night, I really didn’t want to go to A&E but my wife was adamant I should, so we compromised and we went. I couldn’t even walk by the time we arrived at the A&E door so we knew something was seriously wrong, they found out I had Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, and was blue lighted to the heart specialists at Wythenshawe Hospital.
“I was placed into an induced coma and woke up weeks later after multiple attempts had been made to bring me back to good health. They hadn’t worked and I needed a heart transplant. I was placed on the super urgent list and was the sixth highest priority in the country. 11 days later I received a heart offer.”
Wythenshawe Hospital’s Heart and Lung Centre told Martyn in the morning his new heart was ready, by the end of the day he was undergoing surgery.
“Once my heart had been transplanted, I was put into another coma for a week to recover.” Explained Martyn.
“I couldn’t walk because of my condition and the muscle wastage from all the time I had been bedbound. It was really weird for me, not being able to move after living such an active lifestyle, but the physio team were incredible and really helped with my rehab.
“In truth, I don’t remember much of it all as I was in and out of comas, but it was very difficult for my loved ones. My wife came to see me every day and my friends and family came when they could, but it was difficult due to the infection risk. From my perspective, I think it was easier for me than it was for them as I didn’t know much about it, they had to watch this happen to me.
“I was kept in over Christmas and New Year. It was hard not doing my usual festive routine as it’s usually me who cooks and I missed it all massively, but the Jim Quick Ward at Wythenshawe made it as homely as possible. We had Christmas dinner together, did quizzes, the support I had from them and my family made it better than I thought it would be.
“Every member of staff was incredible, when I was at my worst they did anything I needed without hesitation. They were also a massive help with my wife and family throughout it too, the doctors were unbelievable in how informative and supportive they were, I always felt safe and my mind was at ease. The same goes for my loved ones.
“It took two weeks with the physio team for me to be fit enough to be sent home. They need a special mention as I feel it’s often difficult for patients to find the motivation for physio, but the work they did to get me fit enough to leave so soon was incredible.
“I’m not as physically fit as I was, but I still get to play golf and football. I recently went to the transplant games where I played golf, football, snooker and cricket ball throw, where I won silver in golf and the cricket ball throw. I was also asked to train with the England transplant team in Solihull, which I’ll be doing later this year.
“Playing golf and football again makes me feel like I’m back to normal life, there were times when I lay in bed wondering if I would ever play again, it feels like a massive achievement to be where I am now.
“I actually play golf better than I did before, my friends have been joking that maybe I got a golfer’s heart. Regardless, I just feel really lucky to have gotten a second chance at living. I don’t know who my heart donor was, but I’m extremely grateful that they made the decision to donate their organs to save lives.”
Mark Cubbon, Chief Executive of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said of the landmark achievement: “Reaching 1,500 transplants is a remarkable achievement and a tribute to the dedication of our surgical, medical and nursing teams over nearly four decades. Most of all, it is a testament to the generosity of organ donors and their families, who make this life-saving work possible.
“Wythenshawe Hospital has played a leading role in heart and lung transplantation for almost 40 years.
“We are incredibly proud of the expertise developed by our teams, which has made such a difference to so many people’s lives, and of the support from New Start and our local community, without whom this programme would never have begun.
“This milestone is a moment to celebrate, but also to look forward as we continue to develop new treatments and give more patients the chance of a longer, healthier life. Everyone can play their part by ensuring that their families know their wishes on organ donation.”
It takes just two minutes to confirm your decision to become an organ donor – more information at www.organdonation.nhs.uk or by using the NHS App.