20 Years of Life with a Henry Ford Heart Transplant
'Heart transplants extend the life of those with severe heart failure whose estimated survival time is often measured in one to two years,' says Alvise Bernabei, M.D., Henry Ford cardiothoracic transplant surgeon.
For patients Gary Brassell, a former firefighter, and Joseph Bajer, a U.S. Army veteran, the transplants they received at Henry Ford Hospital have, so far, given them an additional 20 years to spend with their loved ones. They are believed to be the longest surviving transplant patients in Michigan.
At a recent press conference celebrating the 20th anniversary of the heart transplant program, Brassell shared his story of survival and explained what his transplant has given him and his family.
'I went from wanting to see my son graduate from high school to actually getting to see my grandchildren graduate from high school,' says Brassell, 65, of Dearborn, the ninth person to receive a heart transplant at Henry Ford in November 1985. 'I've had a good 20 years.'
Henry Ford has performed 346 heart transplants since the transplant program's inception in April 1985. Of that number, 192 patients are still alive today.
'Organ donation is the key. What limits transplants is the number of available organs,' says Dr. Bernabei who urges people to seek out information from organizations like the Gift of Life, which operates the statewide donor registry within the state of Michigan and promotes donor awareness.
For Joe Bajer, 55, of Hazel Park, the gratitude he feels toward the transplant team and his donor was still evident as he fought back tears to thank them.
'I want to thank all the staff in Henry Ford's transplant program who assisted me prior to and after my transplant - there is nowhere I could have had better care,' says Bajer. 'And, I thank the donor and the donor's family for giving me the chance to live another 20 years.'
Just six days before his 36th birthday and 17 days after Brassell's transplant, Bajer became the 10th patient to receive a transplant at Henry Ford. Five months later, he went back to work and was able to continue with the activities he enjoys like hunting, dirt biking and ice fishing. He has since traveled to Alaska eight times and still goes on yearly hunting trips. Bajer met and married his wife Diane, a couple of years after his surgery.
Bajer says he did not have to tell his family to become donors, they have all been through the experience with him and they are all organ donors. But he encourages everyone to consider donation with a simple plea: 'Please, if you can, donate your organs.'
To learn more about organ donation, visit giftoflifemichigan.org or call Gift of Life Michigan at (800) 482-4881.
