Seven lives saved in seven days at Royal Papworth

"The staff have been amazing, you can really feel the passion in everything they do," says Progress Mushonga, who is recovering well after her transplant

A grandmother has thanked a family for her donor heart after she underwent life-saving surgery during one of a renowned hospital's busiest periods.

Progress Mushonga, 49, from Southend-on-Sea in Essex, said she had a "real sense of peace" after her successful heart transplant at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge.

She was one of seven people whose lives were saved during a period earlier this year in which a month's worth of transplant activity was carried out in seven days.

Marius Berman, surgical lead for transplant at the trust, added the seven days would not have been possible "without the gift of organ donation".

"For these seven people to live, seven people had expressed a wish to be an organ donor when they die, and made sure their families were aware of that decision," he said.

All seven patients are doing well in their recovery after the week of transplants, the hospital said

Ms Mushonga received a heart transplant after a suitable donor heart became available in January.

In 2008, she had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart's ability to pump blood.

Treatment had controlled her symptoms until 2017, when she was also diagnosed with fluid retention.

She had a pacemaker fitted and was referred to specialists at Royal Papworth in September 2024, who advised her a heart transplant was her best option.

"It's been quite a journey for me but I now have a real sense of peace," said Ms Mushonga.

"I'm most looking forward to being back at home with my family.

"As a mother you always find yourself busy doing things, but I know I'll have to be cautious as I continue my recovery.

"I'd like to thank everyone at Royal Papworth Hospital and the wider NHS for their help and support in my care.

"I'd also like to thank the donor's family for making the decision to donate at a difficult time - I will be forever grateful."

Ms Mushonga (pictured with her husband and one of her two daughters) recently returned home to continue her recovery

Royal Papworth is the UK's biggest adult heart and lung transplant hospital, performing more transplants in 2023-24 (79) than any other centre.

The seven operations comprised three lung and four heart transplants, two of the latter also involved surgery to remove a BiVAD, or implantable pump device, which supports patients in heart failure while they wait for a donor organ to become available.

Paul Lincoln, lead nurse for transplant, said: "Transplants are emergency surgery, which means we are always on-call so that we can respond when a suitable donor organ becomes available.

"It was a very busy week, but very productive with multiple life-saving operations for patients who were extremely sick.

"Hundreds of people are involved in the care of one patient.

"This simply is not possible without all of our teams at Royal Papworth playing their part, from theatres to critical care and our surgical ward. Thank you to everyone."

"Hundreds of people are involved in the care of one patient," lead nurse Paul Lincoln said