Now I’ll be able to walk my daughters down the aisle! by Charles Ferguson
I have always been a sporty person who has been conscious of health and fitness. At any opportunity I would involve myself in some sort of sporting activity. In August 1991 while playing a rugby match, I collapsed on the field. Fortunately one of the club doctors who...
Tina B: – from Struggle to Strength to Succeeding
Born with 3 holes in her heart, a missing tricuspid valve, an irregular & fast heart beat and narrowed arteries between the heart and lungs, Tina B’s chance of survival was minimal. As a child she would get tired and out of breath very quickly, especially when...
Transplant saves Youth from Biliary Atresia
Our son, Aidan, was born on 24 December 2003. He was a healthy 3,040kg at birth. He became jaundice a few hours after birth and like all new-borns was put under the phototherapy lights. When we were discharged he was still jaundice but his doctor told us that his...
A Tribute to Triven – He lived his Second Chance at Life to the Full!
Triven Moonsamy was one of the recipients who participated in our Fireworx/Hero777 Bravissimo event last year. We first met him in 2013 when both he and Matthew, as awaiting transplant patients, got to meet Chad Le Chlos in the run up to the 2013 World Transplant...
My Donor gave me back the most important parts of my life – by Penni Purcell
In about 1990 while living in Cape Town I was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and faulty left value. I was put on medication for my heart and the water retention I was experiencing and I went for regular check-ups. Thirteen years later, in 2003 my husband and I moved...
Health is Wealth – Never take it for granted! by Jordan Barber
As I sat down to write this article, I was in Medi Clinic Bloemfontein in bed 25 in the Urology ward. I was admitted with a bladder infection as infections are very common post-transplant. If there is one message, I can give to people, it is that health is wealth and...
We remember – this Valentine’s Day
When I spent a year in America in the 1980’s, I was exposed to Valentine’s Day being used to express love, gratefulness, thankfulness and appreciation of others. This included friends, family members and distant relatives and not just romantically towards a husband,...
The greatest gift – By Nikki Milich
WITH MY HAND on his chest I felt the last few faltering beats of his heart. I felt desperately sad, with the pain of the loss of my partner barely starting to register. But along with the sadness I felt an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude to a family that had,...
I don’t have to fight for Every Breath anymore! – by Anchen van Dyk
This joyful piece by lung recipient, Anchen van Dyk, shows just how much we healthy folks take for granted each day. It also gives insight into how the recipient feels about their incredible gift of life. (Janine Magree) When asked if she would mind Hero777 sharing...
Wayne Nel – a Hero who gave the Gift of Life – by Elize Nel
WAYNE was born in September, 1988. He suffered continually with sinus bronchitis. Doctors advised we should move away from Witbank where we lived at the time, so we moved to Richards Bay and immediately, Wayne’s health improved. He thoroughly enjoyed the beach and...
Blessed to make a difference – Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donor – by Nicola Kassier
I have always had a heart for cancer patients. When I was in high school I knew that one day I would make a difference in the lives of cancer patients. Little did I know what a big impact I would have! It all started with me hearing about a two year old girl who...
People ask me, “how did you decide….?” – By Melissa Young
My sister, Jennifer (Jen!) was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in July 2015. After 14 months Jennifer started Haemodialysis, twice a week, 4 hours at a time. I live in New Zealand and knew as soon as I heard that Jen was so ill that I would happily give her...
Matthew – Nine Months On!
August 2018 - As we look back over the last year it is hard to explain just how significant the changes have been in all our lives. A year ago we were contemplating the future with such trepidation and trying desperately to remain positive and plan ways to make...
I’ve had a “New Heart” for 17 Years and going Strong! by Sannie Liebenberg
Many people are reticent to say how old they are. I on the other hand am so blessed to be able to say that I am a 69 year old woman from KZN. Why? Because I received a heart transplant in January 2001, and have now had my new heart for 17 and a half years. What a...
Life Is A Journey – by Henk Goris
Receiving a donor kidney has not only meant that I have returned to a normal lifestyle, being blessed with the gift of life means that I now have a new perspective on life, and the best part is having the energy and zest to put this into practise. My donor family has...
FIREWORX presents “BRAVISSIMO!” – A Heart warming Fundraiser for HERO777
TICKET SALES ARE OPEN NOW!!! ❤️ BOOK ALL TICKETS through our QUICKET Link: BUY TICKETS HERE FIREWORX presents "BRAVISSIMO!” A Heart warming Fundraiser for HERO777 DATE: 21st July 2018 TIME: 4pm till late VENUE: HANGER 8, Virginia Airport, Durban North. Prepare to be...
Be a Hero – like my sister has been to me – by Joe Mthethwa
My life was great - before I had to be listed for a kidney transplant. I was working as a site agent for a company. I was living a healthy life, playing soccer and lifting weights and I shared my life with a beautiful wife and four children. I had tried really hard...
Don’t break my heart, my Achy Breaky heart…. by Anthony Breakey
My name is Anthony Breakey which is rather apt as my surname rhymes with the Billy Rae Cyrus song Achy Breaky Heart, where he sings, "Don't break my heart, my Achy Breaky heart...." Little did I know that this song would take on a whole new meaning to me after I'd...
My sister’s kidney – a life-saving gift of love – by Jennifer Swanepoel
My name is Jennifer Swanepoel and I am mom to two VERY busy young adults! Our lives were hectic at the time I was diagnosed with Chronic kidney disease in July 2015. My son was doing Matric, my daughter was very involved at school, I was running my small business and...
Life changed in the blink of an eye – Cornea Transplant – by Maxine Griffin
ONE of the most frightening aspects of reality is how quickly life can change. For me, my life literally changed in an instant, at the blink of an eye. Having recently relocated to Zululand to join my husband, Mike, I was known for living an active lifestyle as an...
My Name is Selva – I am a survivor… and I am a transplant recipient…by Selva Kisten
In April of 2004 doctors discovered that I had a cardiac issue and I underwent a triple bypass. It was also noted that I had an arrhythmia of my heart and the doctors believed that I had a heart attack in 2002 which had caused damage in my heart. I had not realised...
After a second chance … I decided to Pay it Forward – by Corne Rautenbach
My name is Corne Rautenbach, but these days everybody knows me as the OneLungBandit. In February 2014 my left lung was removed because of a carcinoid tumor. One of my heroes, Dr Neville Govender, discovered the tumor. He is a Pulmonologist at Cape Town Medi-Clinic. If...
The Gift of Life – by John Moffatt
This is a story about Matt who’s here today by the grace of God and the compassion of a family he’ll never know. My son had a heart transplant nearly 17 years ago. He never talks about it so I will tell my part of it. In the July school holidays in 2001 Matt went...
A corneal transplant changed my life – by Amy Lagesse
In 2003, I was 15 years old and diagnosed with Keratoconous* in both my eyes. I had suffered with this condition and vision challenges since High School and in the last couple of years unfortunately, the condition has advanced significantly resulting in very poor...
A simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant (spk) saved my life – Nolundi Luthuli
My life before being diagnosed with kidney disease was filled with many challenges and often with sudden bouts of illness brought on by my erratic sugar levels which led to me being hospitalised often. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 12 and after...
Jarryd’s Story | Liver Transplant Recipient
In 2005 at 13 months of age, Jarryd received his Gift of Life, a liver transplant, at the Red Cross Children’s hospital. He was just a couple of weeks away from death. This was our reality, when our miracle happened. Now, at 14 years’ old, he is a...
Our Journey to Transplantation – Veronica Moodley
Our story starts not very differently from most other couples you'll meet. Boy meets girl, they talk forever and about everything under the sun, he proposes, and eventually they marry and have kids. Though we did meet online, that's our twist! Actually our story has...
Julie Anthony – My Kidney Journey
After finding out I was in kidney failure 6 years ago I embarked on a quest to find out as much as possible about the kidneys, as I didn’t feel ill nor did I have any symptoms accompanied with kidney failure. I sought the opinion of many doctors all telling me...
Lloyd John Towers – A Hero in More Ways Then One
Our son, Lloyd, was born on the 5 February 1993, by caesarian section, at the Glynnwood Nursing Home, Benoni. He was our second child, a brother to his sister Kelly who was two years older. Perhaps the earliest indication that something was amiss was that he didn’t...
Hans’s Story
Written by Yolandi Du Plessis My Dad was born with an extremely rare lung disease called "Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1AD or AATD)". This is a genetic disorder which he was unfortunately only diagnosed with at the age of 36. After his diagnosis, he took the...
