The longest-surviving heart transplant patient, who underwent his operation in England, has been recognised by Guinness World Records.
Bert Janssen, 57, from the Netherlands, has survived 39 years with the donor heart he received at Harefield Hospital in London in the 1980s.
After developing flu-like symptoms when he was 17, Janssen was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy, a condition that impacts the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body.
His cardiologist in his home country had ties with Harefield Hospital in London and transplant pioneer, Prof Sir Magdi Yacoub.
Mr Yacoub, who eventually carried out the operation on June 6, 1984 on the patient, had turned 18.
The procedure had not been carried out yet in The Netherlands at the time.
Mr Janssen said, “It all went very fast. Only a week after arriving at Harefield, two hearts became available from a major car accident in London. I had a match with one of these and the heart was transplanted. As Dr Mattart told me about 30 years later, it must have been the perfect match.’’
Mr Janssen said the new heart allowed him to quickly return to a good quality of life, playing tennis and volleyball and securing a full-time job.
He married his wife Petra in 1996, welcomed sons Guido and Ivo in 1996 and 2000 respectively and is now a keen air glider.