Record £450k Gift Fuels Heart Transplant Research

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity has received a landmark donation exceeding £453,000 from Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess. This is the largest single donation in the charity's 30-year history and was made to express gratitude for saving her brother Terry Tomlin's life in 2015 with a pioneering heart transplant. Tomlin-Hess, who now resides in the United States, described the gift as a way to thank the hospital that gave her brother a second chance at life.

The significant funds will be instrumental in advancing critical research and innovation within heart transplantation. Specifically, the donation will support three key projects: enhancing the assessment of donor hearts, prolonging the preservation time for viable donor hearts, and testing cost-effective technology for perfusion. Terry Tomlin was among the first transplant patients in Europe to receive a non-beating heart, utilizing the donation after circulatory death (DCD) method, a procedure pioneered by Royal Papworth.

This act of extraordinary generosity, partly funded by her late husband Robert Hess who was inspired by his own son's tragic death, highlights a profound commitment to saving lives. Krystyna Grant, RPHC managing director, expressed overwhelming gratitude, emphasizing the potential of the donation to transform lives globally and maintain Royal Papworth's leadership in heart care innovation.