London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

UK's oldest living heart transplant patient marks 90th birthday

UK's oldest living heart transplant patient marks 90th birthday

The UK's oldest person living with a heart transplant has said he thinks about his donor's family nearly every day as he celebrates his 90th birthday.

Ted Warner had the surgery at the Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, in August 1990, and was only expected to live for eight more years.

Mr Warner, from Leicestershire, is holding a belated birthday celebration on Sunday after turning 90 in June.

"It's all possible because of my donor," he said.

"I wrote a letter to their family many years ago and had a little bit of contact, but then they moved with no forwarding address and I could no longer reach them, but that's OK because it must have been so tough for them and what they were going through.

"I think about them almost every single day, even now. Especially now. You can't ever put into words how kind, generous and unselfish he and his family are for donating his heart to somebody he doesn't know."

Mr Warner, who had been using a pacemaker, was told by a cardiologist at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital that he needed a heart transplant, following tests in January 1990.

Ted Warner continues to play golf and take part in clay pigeon shooting


However, he had to wait until August for a donor, not long after being told he had three weeks to live.

The Royal Papworth Hospital, which performed the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979, confirmed the expected survival rate was eight years at the time of Mr Warner's operation.

Thirty-one years on and Mr Warner is the oldest person in the UK currently alive with a heart transplant, the hospital said.

He said he was "so grateful" for the NHS care he had received and that he had "made the best of those extra years and still enjoy an active lifestyle to this day".

"I could not have got through this without the incredible support of my late wife Annette, my two sons Neil and Adam, and friends who have been with me throughout my journey," he said.

Ted and late wife Annette not long after the transplant in 1990

Mr Warner continues to play golf and goes clay pigeon shooting twice a week, and returns to Royal Papworth for twice-yearly check-ups.

Dr Jayan Parameshwar, from the hospital, who will also be at the birthday celebration, said: "Ted is a perfect advert for what heart transplantation can achieve.

"He is an inspiration to the transplant community and beyond."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×