Latest news with #Cardioverter-Defibrillator
Glasgow Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow man who had heart transplant to trek Sahara Desert
Fraser Wilson, 48, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at the age of 14 – a condition that eventually led to heart failure. The illness is genetic, having already sadly claimed the lives of his mother. In 2018, Fraser had an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) fitted by the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service (SNAHFS) team at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital. As his condition worsened, he eventually received a heart transplant at NHS Golden Jubilee — a procedure that has given him a new lease of life. Read more: You could get TRNSMT tickets by taking part in this Glasgow fashion trail (Image: NHS Golden Jubilee) Read more: Company moves into Glasgow office with plans to recruit staff Now, the bank worker is set to trek 100km across southern Morocco over four and a half days, alongside 90 of his colleagues. Fraser said: "I wanted to prove to myself that after having a heart transplant, three years later, I can do anything. "I feel better than ever and grateful for having the opportunity of a heart transplant and the benefit to me has been life-changing, waking up every day with this amazing perspective in life because you're just grateful for still being here. 'You honestly want to start grabbing opportunities as they arise." He has been training rigorously for the trek, including personal sessions at the gym and completing the 14-mile Kiltwalk at the end of April. Fraser is also a member of the Glasgow Adult Transplant Sports Team and regularly competes in the British Transplant Games. He said: "The Glasgow Adult Transplant Sports Team is a relatively small team. "Everyone is part of the committee and we're joining with around 3,000 competitors at the British Transplant Games in Oxford later this year. "Being part of the team and the games provides a level of comfort and knowledge that you don't have, like non-transplanted people, so it feels like quite an exclusive group that you're a part of, as well as having that ongoing contact with people with the same experience as you. 'And it's not all about your transplant, we enjoy ourselves and have a lot of fun.' Fraser has set a personal fundraising target of £4,000 for his Sahara trek and is also exploring other ways to raise additional funds for the charity Crisis. Jane Lockhart, transplant co-ordinator at NHS Golden Jubilee, said: "Being able to look after our patients, like Fraser, and see how their lives improve after a transplant is an absolute privilege for our team. "Fraser's journey highlights the importance of organ donation and shows just how lives can not only be saved but transformed as well. "We'd like to wish Fraser and his colleagues all the best in this amazing adventure.'
The Age
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
A seizure left him convulsing on the pitch. Two years on, Harawira-Naera cleared to make NRL return
Not long after Harawira-Naera suffered the seizure, his manager, George Mimis, out of concern advised him: 'If you were my son, I'd tell you to hang them up.' But at the request of his client, Mimis explored every available avenue to determine what life on and off the field could look like. 'Initially when it happened, I didn't think I'd be OK with hanging up my boots without knowing if I could play again or not,' Harawira-Naera said. 'Everyone was telling me to give up because it was so unprecedented and no one has been through something like this before in rugby league, [but] I didn't feel content giving up without trying.' Harawira-Naera eventually learnt that the combination of medication and the installation of an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) – a small, battery operated device implanted under the skin in the armpit to monitor and treat life-threatening heart arrhythmias – effectively ensured there are no heart issues. 'I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty taxing. Mainly mentally,' the former Panthers and Bulldogs forward said of his time in limbo. 'Sometimes you just want to have an answer instead of not knowing. I couldn't plan ahead, I didn't know what I was doing next week for a good two years in a row. 'There was no deadline to work towards, that was the biggest drainer of my energy. Is it done? Am I chance? Do I hang the boots up?' Ultimately, Harawira-Naera doesn't have to. While he was waiting for the good news, there was another question that had to be answered: do I really want to play footy again? 'I had a really good chat with one of my mates … No one had asked me how much you really want to play before,' he said. 'I dwelled on that for a good couple of weeks, watched just about every game those weekends, and thought, 'Damn, I can still play this, I can still contribute to a team'. 'I've just got to get myself in peak fitness and buy into a team's protocols or values. Watching games and how I can contribute to a team, I've still got confidence in myself. 'I've just got to get to a place that will allow me to get back to my best and have enough time to do that.' There is little Mimis hasn't seen during his time in rugby league. He has helped guide the careers of some of the most influential figures in the game, but a Harawira-Naera comeback would be one of the highlights. 'He is one resilient human being,' Mimis said. 'I have goosebumps [thinking about it]. I have a tear in my eye now.' Loading Harawira-Naera believes the unexpected sabbatical may prolong his career. 'It is how I look at it,' he said. 'These are the years when you start carrying niggles and injuries that you play through. I've had a fair bit of time off. Managing the niggles I had at this age is definitely going to help get back onto the field.' When the incident first occurred, Harawira-Naera's son Elijah was so traumatised that he gave away rugby league. Now seven years old, he has returned to the game. If a club still believes he can add value, so too will his father.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
A seizure left him convulsing on the pitch. Two years on, Harawira-Naera cleared to make NRL return
Not long after Harawira-Naera suffered the seizure, his manager, George Mimis, out of concern advised him: 'If you were my son, I'd tell you to hang them up.' But at the request of his client, Mimis explored every available avenue to determine what life on and off the field could look like. 'Initially when it happened, I didn't think I'd be OK with hanging up my boots without knowing if I could play again or not,' Harawira-Naera said. 'Everyone was telling me to give up because it was so unprecedented and no one has been through something like this before in rugby league, [but] I didn't feel content giving up without trying.' Harawira-Naera eventually learnt that the combination of medication and the installation of an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) – a small, battery operated device implanted under the skin in the armpit to monitor and treat life-threatening heart arrhythmias – effectively ensured there are no heart issues. 'I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty taxing. Mainly mentally,' the former Panthers and Bulldogs forward said of his time in limbo. 'Sometimes you just want to have an answer instead of not knowing. I couldn't plan ahead, I didn't know what I was doing next week for a good two years in a row. 'There was no deadline to work towards, that was the biggest drainer of my energy. Is it done? Am I chance? Do I hang the boots up?' Ultimately, Harawira-Naera doesn't have to. While he was waiting for the good news, there was another question that had to be answered: do I really want to play footy again? 'I had a really good chat with one of my mates … No one had asked me how much you really want to play before,' he said. 'I dwelled on that for a good couple of weeks, watched just about every game those weekends, and thought, 'Damn, I can still play this, I can still contribute to a team'. 'I've just got to get myself in peak fitness and buy into a team's protocols or values. Watching games and how I can contribute to a team, I've still got confidence in myself. 'I've just got to get to a place that will allow me to get back to my best and have enough time to do that.' There is little Mimis hasn't seen during his time in rugby league. He has helped guide the careers of some of the most influential figures in the game, but a Harawira-Naera comeback would be one of the highlights. 'He is one resilient human being,' Mimis said. 'I have goosebumps [thinking about it]. I have a tear in my eye now.' Loading Harawira-Naera believes the unexpected sabbatical may prolong his career. 'It is how I look at it,' he said. 'These are the years when you start carrying niggles and injuries that you play through. I've had a fair bit of time off. Managing the niggles I had at this age is definitely going to help get back onto the field.' When the incident first occurred, Harawira-Naera's son Elijah was so traumatised that he gave away rugby league. Now seven years old, he has returned to the game. If a club still believes he can add value, so too will his father.
