Sheffield man given seven years prognosis after heart transplant lived for three times longer

John Jackson received a heart transplant in 1991 which extended his life by 28 years.

When John Jackson asked his wife Jane back in 1991 what she wanted for her birthday she answered ‘for you to receive a heart’.

John was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a hereditary disease of the heart muscle, in 1989, and after spending a year on medication was told that he would need a heart transplant to survive.

On May 2 1991, three months after being put on the donation register John received a call from the Northern General Hospital to say a heart had become available.

Jane helped to raise more than £5,000 for Sheffield Hospitals Charity in John's memory.

The next day, which was Jane’s birthday, the couple were told that the donated heart was good and John would be prepared for surgery, granting Jane’s birthday wish.

After a successful surgery, John was given a life expectancy of just seven years, but he lived three times as long – despite setbacks including cancer. With the sheer dedication and care given to him by the transplant and cardiopulmonary specialist sisters at the Northern General Hospital, John lived for a further 28 years.

He passed away in 2019, and Jane and close friend Greg among others have honoured John with a classic Northern Soul night in his memory, raising over £5000 for Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

The fundraiser was filled with dancing, fun, and nostalgia. It had a raffle, auction, and silent auction all to raise money in the memory of John, altogether raising £5,157 for Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

Jane said: “I want to thank the heart transplant team who in John’s own words kept him ticking over for so many years, especially to the two wonderful ladies, Helen who was John’s transplant coordinator and nurse since 1999, and Emma his nurse since 2007.”

Jane and Greg have set the date for another Motown and Soul night in memory of John for 1st October 2022, which will be presented and hosted by Greg at the Norton House Country Club Sheffield.

To donate or help fundraise to support the work of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, visit here: https://www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/donate/donate.