A TRANSPLANT patient will this week celebrate the sixth anniversary of having the heart of a man who is still alive and well!

Denis Wright from Ramsbottom and Ernie King from Warrington have become firm friends since their unusual transplant which was only the second of its kind at Wythenshawe Hospital.

It was dubbed the "domino" transplant, and skilled surgeons at the hospital were able to give 61-year-old Denis, Eric's healthy heart while his 49-year-old pal, who suffered from a lung disease, received a donor heart and lung.

Today, the two men are back to full health and Denis has returned to work as an engineer while Eric is back at Pilkington's Glass, St Helens. Joining in the anniversary celebrations tomorrow will be Eric's wife, Joan and Denis's friend Margaret Preston.

Obviously thrilled with the results Denis said; "Every day is now a special day for us but our transplant anniversary is extra special." We will be opening a bottle and toasting the donor who made it possible as well as the medical and nursing teams at the hospital."

The reunion will take place at The Wheatchaff pub and restaurant in Rawtenstall and on the centre table will be a special "birthday" cake featuring a double six domino.

There are many men and women awaiting similar operations which, of course, depend on the availability of donor organs.

The New Heart-New Start Appeal is currently setting its sights on Mission 2000, which aims to raise enough money to develop a dedicated transplant team and top up funds for operations that require more than Government allowance.

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