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Heart Transplant Survivor Conquers Sahara Trek
2 Feb
Summary
- Man completed over 110km Sahara trek two years after heart transplant.
- The trek raised funds for the homelessness charity Crisis.
- He advocates for organ donation, sharing his transplant story.
Fraser Wilson, who is from Glasgow, recently completed an arduous trek of over 110 kilometers across the Sahara Desert. This significant accomplishment occurred just two years after he received a life-saving heart transplant in March 2023, following a battle with genetic cardiomyopathy.
Wilson's desert challenge served a dual purpose: to push his own physical and mental limits and to raise substantial funds for the homelessness charity Crisis. During the trek, he actively shared his personal story and the profound benefits of organ donation, aiming to educate and inspire those he encountered.
The transplant was performed by the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital. Wilson's cousin also received a heart transplant at the same facility. He described the trek as an "emotional journey," highlighting the camaraderie that helped him and his fellow participants overcome the challenges of the vast desert landscape.
NHS Golden Jubilee has been Scotland's sole provider of heart transplants since 2008, having performed 271 procedures. Transplant nurse Julie Smith emphasized the life-changing impact of organ donation, noting how it enables recipients like Fraser to not just survive but thrive, living full and improved lives thanks to the generosity of donors.
