John Hammond with RBWH Hepatologist Richard Skoien and Nurse Mary-Ellen Bryson
RBWH staff help save lives every single day, and earlier this month a very special patient came back to say thank you.
John Hammond is an incredible 51-year-old liver recipient from Gindie, Queensland. John was diagnosed 15 years ago with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder that can cause lung and liver disease. Prior to his transplant, John had to spend 13 months in Brisbane, away from his wife and 15-year-old son, while he received treatment.
For six and a half of those months, he was in hospital at RBWH expecting to die. Palliative Care teams visited him three times a week, wills were finalised and papers put in place for end-of-life. He was deemed too sick for surgery, until finally a glimmer of hope came when his health improved for a few days. He was listed on the donor list, and within 32 hours he received his life-saving liver transplant.
Eternally grateful to the 9A South team at RBWH for the care provided to him, John recently returned to present a plaque.
“Literally, honestly, one hundred percent – the team here saved my life. People in the medical profession don’t get enough recognition for what they do, so this is my way of saying thanks.
“The staff here are amazing. Nurses and doctors are so underrated. They treat you as a person rather than just a bunch of symptoms.”
John will need to undergo a double lung transplant in the next year, as he is currently down to just 30 per cent lung capacity.
“I can’t wait to get back out on the farm with my son after I’ve recovered. Go out with the cattle and on the quad bike with him – all the fun stuff.”
Thank you to all our staff who help people like John every day.