Dutch man who had heart transplant at Harefield Hospital in the 1980s enters Guinness World Records

Bert Janssen had his heart transplant in London when he was just 17 years old.
David George
By David George
8th Feb 2024, 9:20am
Bert Janssen, 57, from the Netherlands, who has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving heart transplant patient. (Picture: PA Wire)Bert Janssen, 57, from the Netherlands, who has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving heart transplant patient. (Picture: PA Wire)
Bert Janssen, 57, from the Netherlands, who has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving heart transplant patient. (Picture: PA Wire)

The longest-surviving heart transplant patient has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records.

Bert Janssen from the Netherlands has survived 39 years with the donor heart he received at Harefield Hospital in London in the 1980s. The transplant came after he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at the age of 17 - affecting his heart's ability to pump blood.

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The procedure had not been carried out yet in the Netherlands at the time.

Bert, now 57, 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."

Following his operation, Bert was able to return to his hobbies of playing tennis and volleyball. He married his wife Petra in 1996, welcomed sons Guido and Ivo in 1996 and 2000 respectively and is now a keen air glider.

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"One of my proudest achievements was, along with my wife Petra and both our parents, building our own house brick by brick," Bert added.

"I could never imagine I would come this far, but nevertheless I always looked up to others who had their donor heart longer than I had. It is now officially proved that it is possible to come this far while having a donor heart."

Bert Janssen, 18, lying in Harefield Hospital following his heart transplant in June 1984. (Picture: PA Wire)Bert Janssen, 18, lying in Harefield Hospital following his heart transplant in June 1984. (Picture: PA Wire)
Bert Janssen, 18, lying in Harefield Hospital following his heart transplant in June 1984. (Picture: PA Wire)

Dr Fernando Riesgo Gil, consultant cardiologist and lead of the heart transplantation service at Harefield Hospital, said: "It is fantastic news to hear that one of our early Harefield transplant patients continues to live such a full and happy life so long after his transplant."

According to data on the NHS Blood and Transplant website, there were 7,314 adults on the active transplant waiting list in the UK as of last week (February 2 2024), along with 248 patients under the age of 18. Of the total, some 334 are waiting for hearts.

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"Unfortunately, many of these people will die on the waiting list because we have a shortage of organ donors in this country," Dr Gil said.

"I hope that Bert’s story serves as an encouragement to the public to consider registering as organ donors, to give the gift of life."

Related topics:PatientsNHS

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