* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

    BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

    Nantucket Dance Festival opens July 8 – The Inquirer and Mirror

    Nantucket Dance Festival Launches with Thrilling Performances Beginning July 8

    A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curse Netflix and YRF Entertainment’s ‘Mandala Murders’ Premieres July 25 – About Netflix

    A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curse: Dive into the Chilling World of ‘Mandala Murders’ Premiering July 25

    Susquehanna Raises Penn Entertainment Inc. (PENN) Price Target. – Yahoo Finance

    Susquehanna Raises Price Target for Penn Entertainment Inc. (PENN)

    George Lopez is coming to Spokane – KXLY.com

    George Lopez is coming to Spokane – KXLY.com

    Netflix unveils Dallas immersive venue for fans of hit shows like ‘Squid Game,’ ‘Stranger Things’ – Houston Chronicle

    Step Inside Netflix’s New Dallas Immersive Experience Featuring Hits Like ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Stranger Things

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

    Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

    Meiwu Technology Company Limited and Shenzhen Zhinuo – GlobeNewswire

    Meiwu Technology Company Limited and Shenzhen Zhinuo – GlobeNewswire

    Owls inspire new revolutionary noise reduction technology – KTEN

    Owls inspire new revolutionary noise reduction technology – KTEN

    New center coming to Mizzou will focus on energy research and technology – Columbia Missourian

    Mizzou Launches Innovative New Center Dedicated to Energy Research and Technology

    Mirrors in space and underwater curtains: can technology buy us enough time to save the Arctic ice caps? – The Guardian

    Can Technology Like Space Mirrors and Underwater Curtains Buy Us Time to Save the Arctic Ice Caps?

    Naples restaurant owner prepares for hurricane season with new flood technology – Fox4Now.com

    Naples restaurant owner prepares for hurricane season with new flood technology – Fox4Now.com

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

    BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

    Nantucket Dance Festival opens July 8 – The Inquirer and Mirror

    Nantucket Dance Festival Launches with Thrilling Performances Beginning July 8

    A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curse Netflix and YRF Entertainment’s ‘Mandala Murders’ Premieres July 25 – About Netflix

    A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curse: Dive into the Chilling World of ‘Mandala Murders’ Premiering July 25

    Susquehanna Raises Penn Entertainment Inc. (PENN) Price Target. – Yahoo Finance

    Susquehanna Raises Price Target for Penn Entertainment Inc. (PENN)

    George Lopez is coming to Spokane – KXLY.com

    George Lopez is coming to Spokane – KXLY.com

    Netflix unveils Dallas immersive venue for fans of hit shows like ‘Squid Game,’ ‘Stranger Things’ – Houston Chronicle

    Step Inside Netflix’s New Dallas Immersive Experience Featuring Hits Like ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Stranger Things

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

    Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

    Meiwu Technology Company Limited and Shenzhen Zhinuo – GlobeNewswire

    Meiwu Technology Company Limited and Shenzhen Zhinuo – GlobeNewswire

    Owls inspire new revolutionary noise reduction technology – KTEN

    Owls inspire new revolutionary noise reduction technology – KTEN

    New center coming to Mizzou will focus on energy research and technology – Columbia Missourian

    Mizzou Launches Innovative New Center Dedicated to Energy Research and Technology

    Mirrors in space and underwater curtains: can technology buy us enough time to save the Arctic ice caps? – The Guardian

    Can Technology Like Space Mirrors and Underwater Curtains Buy Us Time to Save the Arctic Ice Caps?

    Naples restaurant owner prepares for hurricane season with new flood technology – Fox4Now.com

    Naples restaurant owner prepares for hurricane season with new flood technology – Fox4Now.com

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

‘I owe it all to you’: How a gift shaped the life of Ottawa’s longest-living heart transplant patient

June 11, 2024
in Health
‘I owe it all to you’: How a gift shaped the life of Ottawa’s longest-living heart transplant patient
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Jeffrey Gleeson received a heart transplant 34 years ago, at just six weeks of age. He has spent his life trying to honour that gift.

Get the latest from Elizabeth Payne straight to your inbox

Published Jun 11, 2024  •  Last updated 5 hours ago  •  5 minute read

Jeffrey GleesonThirty-four years ago, as a tiny baby, Jeffrey Gleeson received a new heart and with it a new chance at life. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

In many ways, Jeffrey Gleeson’s life is not extraordinary. The 34-year-old Ottawa man, who works for a non-profit organization, mows his lawn, shovels snow and does “just about anything anyone else can do.”

But in one crucial way it is.

Thirty-four years ago, as a tiny baby, Gleeson received a new heart and with it a new chance at life. That gift, and the tragic death that enabled it, have shaped the way he lives his life.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Ottawa Citizen

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Sign In or Create an Account

or

Article content

Gleeson consciously strives “to be a person living by certain values to best honour the life that was lost. I may not accomplish any amazing feats in my lifetime, but I try to be a decent person, someone who is respectful of others and understanding of their needs and points of view.”

His future was far from assured when he was born in 1989. He had a severe congenital heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, in which the left side of his heart was severely underdeveloped. In addition, that struggling heart was located on the right side of his chest, rather than in its normal place, on the left side, a condition called dextrocardia.

He needed a new heart.

The death of an Ottawa infant and her family’s decision to donate her heart gave Gleeson a second chance at life just six weeks after he was born.

Thirty-four years after he underwent a heart transplant at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Gleeson is now the longest-living heart transplant recipient from the 40-year-old program.

It is a gift he doesn’t take for granted.

Once a year, Gleeson tries to put his gratitude into words in a memorial notice for the baby whose heart was transplanted into his chest. He spends months thinking about what he will say. And, on Sept. 29, the date he received a new heart in 1989, his words appear in this newspaper’s memorial section — a few lines of type to say thank you for a life.

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

“Seventeen years have passed since you gave me the gift of life and I want you to know that I am healthy and happy. I owe this all to you,” he wrote in 2006 in a memorial notice under the infant’s name.

In 2008, he wrote: “The only certainty in life is the uncertainty of life. Thank you for giving me the chance to experience life.”

Gleeson thinks about what he will say throughout the year. “Some years I come up with better ways to express my sentiments, but it always comes from a place of deep appreciation.”

It is an annual ritual his parents started when he was a baby. He took over when he turned 18 and he has kept it up ever since, in close consultation with his mother.

“It’s important for us to continue publishing these in memorials to express our gratitude,” he said. “An organ donation can’t be taken for granted. In a way, (the donor) is a part of me. It’s also important to let her mother know that I’m still around and her daughter’s heart is still beating.”

The transplant surgery that saved Gleeson’s life was performed by Dr. Wilbert Keon, who founded the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. In the early days of heart transplants in the city, the Heart Institute performed them on both adults and children.

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Dr. Wilbert Keon Dr. Wilbert Keon is a legendary heart surgeon and was the driving force behind the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s world-class facility. Photo by Julie Oliver /POSTMEDIA

Gleeson’s life-saving surgery came five years after the program’s first heart transplant in 1984. Since then, 738 hearts have been transplanted into patients and the Heart Institute is one of the top centres performing heart transplants in Canada.

Advances in technology mean transplant patients are living longer and with a better quality of life. Today, Gleeson is among 272 surviving transplant patients from the program.

The complex surgery continues to be performed at the hospital approximately 20 times a year, said transplant surgeon Dr. Hadi Toeg. The Ottawa native trained at both the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago before being recruited by the Heart Institute.

Advances in medical technology now mean that heart transplant patients are, on average, older than they were 20 years ago, he said. The average age is now around 60, compared to 50 two decades ago.

Increasingly, patients with end-stage heart failure can be “bridged” with left ventricular assist devices, implanted devices that temporarily replace the heart’s pumping action. Those devices can keep them alive and improve the overall health of patients who might not have been healthy enough initially to survive a transplant, Toeg said.

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Heart transplant surgeries remain complex and carry risks, including complications during or after the transplant, or death. Patients referred for transplant are carefully assessed by a team of doctors and health-care professionals to determine whether they would benefit. Those who are approved are placed on a nation-wide transplant list.

Each transplant surgery involves a medical team of eight to nine health professionals, including the transplant surgeon, a retrieval surgeon, a surgical assistant, an anesthetist, an anesthetist technician, a perfusionist, who operates the heart-lung machine during the surgery, and two or three nurses.

There are still “butterfly” moments during the surgery for Toeg, including just before the new heart starts beating. “I still get jitters.”

For Toeg, transplant surgery is never routine.

“There is a lot of adrenalin that runs when I am in the middle of it,” Toeg said. “Once the heart is in and starts, you feel like you have accomplished and put together an apartment complex or massive building … this huge thing. When I speak with the family, it gets quite emotional.”

Advertisement 6

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

After surgery, transplant patients are followed for life. Transplant co-ordinator Kyla Brown is on the end of a phone line to help answer any questions they have.

“It is a rewarding job. You really can see the benefit of what we are able to do to help people live good lives,” she said. “Patients are very thankful.”

Each year, Gleeson puts that gratitude into words.

“My gratitude will never diminish,” he wrote in a memorial notice to his donor in 2007.

Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

Recommended from Editorial

Dr. Katey Rayner, Ottawa Heart Institute, new chief scientific officer and vice-president of research at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute

Heart Institute’s first female chief scientific officer aims to focus outside the box

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute announced the launch of the Data Science Centre, which will leverage cardiovascular data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to advance cardiovascular research and improve patient care, it says.

How AI and data are making hearts flutter at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute

Article content

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : OttawaCitizen – https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/i-owe-it-all-to-you-how-a-gift-shaped-the-life-of-ottawas-longest-living-heart-transplant-patient

Tags: healthOttawa'sshaped
Previous Post

Forty-nine-year-old from Madawaska Valley facing child pornography charges

Next Post

Will Ottawa hockey fans be victims of PWHL success? | Opinion

LensToLens: Wetlands guard bird species from plateau to urban landscape – Xinhua

How Wetlands Protect Bird Species from Plateaus to Urban Landscapes

July 3, 2025
Commentary: Vatican defends science from politics, ideology and misinformation – The Salt Lake Tribune

Vatican Takes a Bold Stand: Defending Science from Politics, Ideology, and Misinformation

July 2, 2025
Scientists Merged 3 Human Brains by Thought Alone – Popular Mechanics

Scientists Achieve Mind-Blowing Feat by Merging Three Human Brains Through Thought Alone

July 3, 2025
Retired woman shares inside look at lifestyle after moving into unconventional tiny home: ‘The best decision I’ve ever made’ – The Cool Down

Retired Woman Reveals Life-Changing Joys of Living in an Unconventional Tiny Home: “The Best Decision I’ve Ever Made

July 2, 2025
​​World Rural Development Day: Refugee-Led Farming Projects That Are Feeding the World – USA for UNHCR

​​World Rural Development Day: Refugee-Led Farming Projects That Are Feeding the World – USA for UNHCR

July 2, 2025
Trump’s economy: A weak link in MAGA’s chain – The Hill

Trump’s economy: A weak link in MAGA’s chain – The Hill

July 2, 2025
BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

BTS Announce Their Big Return and Yes, They Already Have Some Major Plans in the Works – Yahoo

July 2, 2025
About 17 Million More People Could be Uninsured due to the Big Beautiful Bill and other Policy Changes – KFF

How the Big Beautiful Bill and Policy Changes Could Leave 17 Million More People Uninsured

July 2, 2025
Politics and science can mix – High Country News

When Politics Meets Science: Finding Common Ground for a Better Future

July 2, 2025
Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

Inspira Technologies Secures Landmark $22.5M Deal: Major Revenue Breakthrough After FDA Clearance – Stock Titan

July 2, 2025

Categories

Archives

July 2025
MTWTFSS
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031 
« Jun    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (702)
  • Economy (728)
  • Entertainment (21,616)
  • General (15,679)
  • Health (9,767)
  • Lifestyle (732)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (729)
  • Politics (735)
  • Science (15,946)
  • Sports (21,225)
  • Technology (15,712)
  • World (709)

Recent News

LensToLens: Wetlands guard bird species from plateau to urban landscape – Xinhua

How Wetlands Protect Bird Species from Plateaus to Urban Landscapes

July 3, 2025
Commentary: Vatican defends science from politics, ideology and misinformation – The Salt Lake Tribune

Vatican Takes a Bold Stand: Defending Science from Politics, Ideology, and Misinformation

July 2, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version