“Last year I died in my sleep. My wife and daughter had to do CPR on me; I was dead for about half an hour. The ambos took me away and I woke up a few days later in The Alfred.” 

These are the words of Andrew Conway, who clinically died in his sleep after suffering a massive cardiac arrest in early 2020. Against all odds, Andrew was brought back to life by paramedics and transported to The Alfred Hospital.

At present, around 1,800 Australians are wait listed for an organ transplant; and more than 12,000 Australians are currently on dialysis – many of whom would benefit from a kidney transplant.

In this special episode, Michael Billings speaks to two men on the organ waiting list: Andrew Conway, who is wait listed for a donor heart, and Paul Greenwood, who is wait listed for a donor kidney.

Diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at the age of 30, Andrew has suffered multiple heart attacks, undergone surgeries for pacemakers, and is now fitted with a device that keeps his heart pumping while he waits for the call that he hopes will change his life. 

For Paul Greenwood, life changed 13 years ago after a biopsy found he had scarring on his kidneys. A once fit and healthy man, Paul would cycle 30 kilometres a day. Now on dialysis, Paul rarely has enough energy to walk his dog.

Paul says, “While dialysis is good, you never feel 100%. It feels like you’re running in third gear all the time. You’re in a haze and some days you’re just getting through.”

“I hope that if you put your name down to become a donor, it never happens for you. But maybe if it did, you could help so many people,” he says. “Instead of living in a bit of misery you can have a full, happy life.”

More Australians are alive today because of organ and tissue donation. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, visit donatelife.gov.au – it only takes a minute.

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