Woman sees own heart in a museum, 16 years after her life-saving surgery

At a time when heart transplant surgeries have become quite common, it is not everyday that you see doctors preserving those surgically-removed hearts for multiple reasons, including medical research. In one such instance, the heart of a woman has been preserved for over 15 years and has been kept on display at a museum, where she recently got to view it closely. According to a BBC report, the woman, identified as Jennifer Sutton, had undergone a life-saving heart transplant surgery in 2007, almost 16 years back after she was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Speaking about her experience after getting to observe her heart displayed at the Hunterian Museum in London, she termed it “incredibly surreal”.

“It’s a strange feeling when you first walk in, realising that used to be inside my body. But it’s also quite comforting—it’s like my companion. It kept me alive for 22 years, and I’m quite proud of it, to be honest. I’ve seen many preserved items in jars throughout my life, but the fact that it’s actually mine is very peculiar,” she added.

Jennifer also went on to state that she hopes her heart being on display will create awareness toward organ donation, as she considers it to be “the greatest gift possible.”

How did Jennifer Sutton’s heart end up in a museum?

Narrating the entire episode of her life, Jennifer who was then a 22-year-old university student, began by recalling how she faced difficulty doing moderate exercises, including walking up hills. It was then that she was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a condition that limited her heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body. After she was informed about the need for a transplant, in June 2007, she received a matching donor and got successfully operated on, thus fighting against the odds of her life.

Sixteen years after the surgery, the 38-year-old Jennifer describes her life to be active and busy as she plans to keep herself going for as long as possible. She also noted how she granted permission to the Royal College of Surgeons for keeping her heart for an exhibition. Jennifer, who presently works towards creating awareness about organ donation, noted that the surgery not only enabled major moments of her life but also encouraged others to live their lives to the fullest.

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