Cypriot donor’s heart transplanted into Israeli woman after 26-hour operation
A heart donated by a Cypriot national who died in a car accident was successfully transplanted into a 45-year-old woman in Israel.
Tel Aviv, Israel. A heart donated by a Cypriot national who died in a car accident was transplanted into a 45-year-old woman who had waited nearly two years for a transplant, Rabin Medical Centre said.
The 26-hour operation was completed successfully on Friday with the involvement of medical teams from Cyprus, Greece and Israel.
Organ recovery and transport
Israeli authorities were informed on Thursday morning that a heart from the Cypriot donor was available. Tests confirmed its suitability and doctors began searching for a suitable recipient.
The heart was scheduled for removal in Nicosia at 3am on Friday. Four medical teams worked simultaneously, with the Israeli team removing the heart while Cypriot and Greek teams recovered the lungs, liver and kidneys for other recipients.
The Israeli team then travelled by helicopter to Larnaca airport. Their aircraft landed in Israel at 7.40am, and the heart reached the operating theatre less than an hour later.
Coordination between teams
Doctors later informed their Cypriot colleagues that the transplant had been completed successfully.
Dr Tamar Ashkenazi, director of Israel’s national transplant centre, said the operation required close coordination between medical teams, hospitals, airports and customs authorities.
“Every hour was critical,” she said, stressing the need for precise coordination throughout the process.
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Subject: A small request for respect and accuracy
Dear Editor,
I am writing regarding the recent tragic accident involving a 22-year-old Romanian woman who lost her life in Cyprus and whose heart was donated to a 45-year-old woman in Israel.
In the first reports about the accident, your newspaper correctly mentioned that the young woman was Romanian. However, after the heart donation, she was described as Cypriot.
I believe this is important. Her family deserves respect and recognition, and so does the young woman herself. She was Romanian, and her final act of generosity — saving another person’s life through organ donation — is something that should be acknowledged with dignity.
Romanians are often mentioned immediately when something negative happens. When something deeply human and generous happens, our nationality should not suddenly disappear.
I kindly ask you to correct this and to give this young woman and her family the respect they deserve.
Sincerely,
A Romanian living in Cyprus