A 40-year-old dad of five needed an urgent heart transplant after weeks of feeling breathless before he collapsed. Gareth Jones' life turned upside down when he became ill very suddenly in June 2022.
The plumber started to experience feeling breathless and struggled to carry his tools. He was prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection and before a second GP prescribed him Beta blockers, suspecting he was having panic attacks.
However after taking one tablet, Gareth from Felinheli in north Wales, became ill and was struggling to breath so his mum took him to A&E. It was there, he collapsed.
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Reflecting on the experience, Gareth's wife, Toni, said: “Gareth was working in his own business as a plumber when he started to feel really breathless, he struggled to carry his tools and generally had not been feeling right for a few weeks. He saw a GP who prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection however when Gareth was still not getting any better a few days later he visited another GP who prescribed Beta Blockers as they believed he may be having panic attacks.
“After taking one tablet Gareth however became very ill and was struggling to breath so his Mum took him to A&E; before Gareth could be seen he collapsed and was taken for urgent scans. These revealed Gareth’s heart was massively enlarged and was crushing his lungs, Gareth’s heart was only working at 10%. The beta blocker had slowed his heart down to a very dangerous level."
Toni was at home with their children when Gareth was in hospital. So oblivious to the extent of his illness, she even prepared him dinner, expecting him home that evening, when in fact he was "the sickest person in the hospital".
“While Gareth was in hospital I stayed at home with the children, I made dinner and expected Gareth home soon after. I was not expecting his Stepdad to tell me I needed to get to the hospital. At first I thought he was joking, once I arrived the staff told me Gareth was going into heart failure, we had no clue Gareth was so ill - I thought maybe he had pneumonia and would need stronger medication, never did I think he was fighting for his life. Staff told me Gareth was the sickest person in the hospital. I had even made dinner for him.”
Gareth was transferred to Wythenshawe hospital in Manchester where he was monitored for two weeks and medics discussed treatment options however Gareth’s health continued to decline so it was recommended he be placed onto the transplant waiting list.
“Amazingly a heart became available for Gareth the day after he was put on the list. I could not believe it. Gareth recovered well and was walking again after a few days then allowed home just four weeks later. Gareth is continuing to have regular check-ups at Wythenshawe hospital, he has had some rejection episodes but his last biopsy came back clear of rejection and he is doing well. He had to give up his business but the transplant has given us both a new outlook on life. We feel so lucky Gareth was given his gift so quickly. Organ donation is the greatest gift; we are so grateful to the family of the young man who agreed to organ donation and gave Gareth his heart.”
Everyone has a choice about whether they want to donate. You can register your decision (opt in or opt out) on the NHS Organ Donor Register. If you do not register a decision, it will be considered you have no objections to becoming a donor and your consent will be deemed.
However, relatives and next of kin will always have the final say and can say no to organ donation so it is important to have a discussion with your family to make sure they know what you want so they can support the decision to save lives if it ever came to that point. By adding your name and decision to the register and telling your family, they will be in no doubt.
Fifty-nine people in Wales became organ donors after their death in 2021/22. And 129 patients waiting for a transplant in Wales received a life changing gift last year. Every organ donor can save up to nine lives after they die by giving their organs to patients waiting for a transplant.
There are 228 people in the Wales currently waiting for a transplant. It is quick and easy to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk
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