Transplant patient Rhys takes heart as he makes a return to sport

Rhys Hoole following his heart transplant.

It’s a love story for the ages – 25-year-old Rhys Hoole is reunited with his great love, touch rugby, thanks to a brand-new heart.

Almost two years ago, a sport-loving Rhys was racing down the TRL field when he suffered a cardiac arrest, sending him down an arduous road to recovery.

Rhys underwent an hour of CPR on the touch field, before being diagnosed with heart failure, spending almost two years back and forwards from hospital, undergoing six open heart surgeries, and bouncing on and off a transplant list.

He went on ECMO, a form of life support when lung or heart function is affected, and then underwent the gruelling heart transplant process where he received The Prince Charles Hospital’s 500th donated heart.

Receiving a new heart meant Rhys spent more than 80 days in a hospital bed recovering, where he lost 20kgs and had to learn to walk again.

But with determination and the efforts of his treating team, Rhys got a happily-ever-after, with the commercial property manager now back to playing his beloved sports of tennis, golf and footy, training for the Transplant Games, and soon returning to work.

A stoic Rhys reflects on getting his life back thanks to his donated heart.

“I wasn’t feeling well for months before it happened, but things got worse quickly after the cardiac arrest,” he said.

“I’ve been through so much, but I’m ready get back into it because this heart saved me, and I’m going to make the most of it.”