Heart transplant patient trekking Sahara Desert

A bank worker is taking on one of the world’s most challenging terrains as he enjoys a new lease of life following a heart transplant.

Fraser Wilson, 48, has genetic Cardiomyopathy and was one of a Scottish record number of 40 people to receive a heart transplant in 2023.

Fraser, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy when he was just 14, which then progressed to heart failure resulting in an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) being implanted in 2018 by the team in the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service (SNAHFS) based at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital in Clydebank.

Unfortunately, his health began to deteriorate, and he spent 5 and a half months in NHS Golden Jubilee as he waited for a new heart to save his life.

Fraser’s cousin Louise Campbell, from Wishaw, also has genetic cardiomyopathy and, amazingly, they were both 45 when they had heart transplants at NHS Golden Jubilee.

Sadly, Fraser’s mum, Louise’s dad and 2 of their uncles have all died as a result of this illness.

But now, 2 years on, Fraser has gone from strength to strength, dismissing fears he always had that he would die young due to his condition.

This new lease of life has now led him to participate in his company, Lloyd Bank’s annual signature trek, which this November is to the Sahara, involving 100km over 4-and-a-half days in Southern Morocco with 90 of his colleagues.

Fraser, from Glasgow, said: “I wanted to prove to myself that after having a heart transplant, 3 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. The trek is really well organised, regime during the trek is largely self-driven, with some guidance from the event organisers and I am doing some rigorous training in preparation for the trek, but I'm loving it because it gives me a real reason to get fit.

“I've started doing personal training at the gym and I'm getting a lot more walking in. I did the 14-mile Kiltwalk at the end of April, which was brilliant.”

NHS Golden Jubilee is home to Scotland’s only heart transplant service and Fraser acknowledged the phenomenal support and aftercare he has been provided by staff from SNAHFS, including attending events such as the heart transplant Christmas lunch,

which provides all Scottish patients with the opportunity to connect with other heart transplant recipients.

Fraser is also a member of the Glasgow Adult Transplant Sports Team and participates in the British Transplant Games.

He added: “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 a personal fundraising target of £4,000 for his Sahara trek, but he is also trying to explore alternative options to help raise additional funds for Crisis and his membership of the Glasgow Transplant Sports Team and participation in the British Transplant Games provide him with a good opportunity to do this.

Following a heart transplant, patients receive lifelong aftercare from the SNAHFS team at NHS Golden Jubilee.

NHS Golden Jubilee Transplant Co-ordinator, Jane Lockhart, 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 and we’d like to wish Fraser and his colleagues all the best in this amazing adventure