Katie Mitchell, a Londoner, has become the longest-surviving patient in the UK after a combined heart and lung transplant 38 years ago, at age 15. Diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome at 11, she faced severe health issues before the surgery that transformed her life. Her story underscores the importance of organ donation.
Katie Mitchell was diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome at age 11, a complication of congenital heart disease causing high pressure in the pulmonary arteries, irreversible lung damage, and heart failure. Over 40 years ago, no treatment was available. Before the transplant in September 1987, she felt extremely ill: 'I couldn't breathe,' she recalls. 'It took almost 15 minutes to go up or down the stairs, and that was my day over.' Her lips, cheeks, and nails turned blue from lack of oxygen.
The double surgery, performed when she was 15, brought immediate improvement. 'As soon as I returned from the transplant, I was pink. Everyone noticed. The breathing improvement was immediate,' Mitchell says. Now 53, she holds the UK record for longevity in this rare and complex procedure, which occurs only five times a year, according to the National Health Service (NHS).
Mitchell reflects on her donor: 'I only know she was a young woman. Her family made the decision to donate her organs in a very painful moment for them. That's why I'm so grateful.' NHS spokesperson Anthony Clarkson describes her story as 'truly exceptional' and stresses that 'each person who donates their organs can save up to nine lives.' Surgeon Aaron Ranasinghe notes the initial survival rate is 85%, with just over half of one-year survivors living 10 to 12 years, making Mitchell's case 'fantastic'.
In the UK, 12 people await combined heart-lung transplants, and over 8,000 are on the general waiting list. In London, more than 800 died in the last decade while waiting. In Brazil, 47,500 await organs and 33,500 corneas; from January to October 2025, 7,800 organ transplants and 14,100 cornea transplants were performed.