Heart transplant survivor marks 15-year milestone with donor heart

Mike Sullivan poses with his “go-to man,” the Tin Man, at Quehl’s Restaurant in Tavistock. He uses the mascot to promote organ donation, especially during February, Heart Month. Gary West photo

By Gary West

Tavistock’s Mike Sullivan is marking a milestone few ever forget — the 15th anniversary of the heart transplant that gave him a second chance at life.

Many in the community remember Sullivan as the longtime manager of the Tavistock LCBO, a role he held for 26 years. Fewer may recall the health battle that began decades earlier, when he was diagnosed in 1995 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy at University Hospital in London.

The condition weakened the muscles on the left side of his heart. His cardiologist, Dr. McNaughton, told him the only cure would be a heart transplant.

That same year, Sullivan had a defibrillator pacemaker implanted and began a demanding daily routine that included taking 26 pills. For years, he waited, unsure if a donor heart would ever become available.

In 2010, after five days of testing in London, doctors confirmed he was still strong enough to undergo transplant surgery. He and his wife, Margaret, left the hospital that day with a pager and phone, knowing the call could come at any time.

It did.

At about 1 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2011, London Health Sciences Centre called to say a suitable heart was available and Sullivan needed to get to the hospital immediately. When he arrived, staff at reception were surprised to see a patient walking in on his own for a heart transplant — something rarely seen.

Sullivan soon learned the man in a white coat holding a clipboard was Dr. MacKenzie, the cardiac surgeon who performed the first-ever heart transplant at London Health Sciences Centre. Only 12 heart transplants were completed there that year.

As he was wheeled into the operating room, Sullivan counted more than 20 staff preparing for surgery. At 6:26 a.m., he heard Dr. MacKenzie say the helicopter was 10 minutes away with the donor heart. Those were the last words he remembers before going under.

By 3 p.m., the surgeon was updating Sullivan’s family with good news; the transplant had been successful. Later that evening, they were told the new heart was functioning well and there were no signs of rejection.

The following morning, Margaret called the ICU at 6:30 a.m., expecting an update. Instead, the nurse asked if she wanted to speak to her husband. All tubes and the ventilator had already been removed. When Sullivan said, “Good morning,” Margaret and the nurse both broke down in tears of relief.

After three days in intensive care and 10 more in the cardiac recovery unit, Sullivan returned home, commuting daily to London for three months of testing to monitor for rejection.

During his recovery, he became involved with the Canadian Transplant Association, where transplant recipients from across the country connect and compete in friendly athletic events every three years. In 2016, Sullivan earned a gold medal at the Canadian Transplant Games in Toronto.

While direct contact between recipients and donor families is not permitted, Sullivan wrote a letter of thanks through Ontario’s organ donation program. For seven years, he heard nothing. Then, during a follow-up appointment in London, he was handed an envelope from the donor’s family. He waited to open it until he and Margaret were home.

In his final letter back, Sullivan included his 2016 gold medal. He later learned the donor’s daughter carried that medal with her on her wedding day so she could feel her father’s presence.

Now healthy and active, Sullivan says the gift of life made everything possible and hopes his story encourages others to register as organ donors.

Signing up is simple. Visit BeADonor.ca.