Marking 40 years since Fiona Coote received her first heart transplant

Watch this video marking 40 years since Fiona received her new heart.

On 8th April, 1984. Dr Chang and his team operated on Fiona Coote, giving her a new heart.

Fiona was 14 years old at the time of the procedure and was the fourth ever recipient of a heart transplant in Australia. Fiona is a Patron of the Victor Chang Foundation.

Fiona said:

When Dr Chang first assessed me to see if I would be suitable for a heart transplant, they said ‘No’. Here I was, with all my organs in failure and on total life-support, punctured lungs and far from a good chance at survival. I’m indeed blessed that the St Vincent’s transplant team reconsidered, said ‘Yes’.

Shortly after my transplant I was lying in my critical care bed, floating in and out of the anaesthetic haze. I was ventilated and therefore unable to speak. I could hear voices calling my name and when I came to, there were five people all peering down at me. The leader was particularly inquisitive, and I later knew him as Dr Chang.