At around 33 years old, Mark was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease in which the heart muscle becomes thickened. The thickened heart muscle makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.
After a long journey with multiple referrals and tests, Mark was listed for a heart transplant and admitted to the ICU at Mayo Clinic. It was there that he met new friends and employees who went above and beyond to provide compassionate care while waiting for his new heart.
Read more about Mark’s unique wait in the ICU, how his late wife inspired him, his amazing care team and his new heart.
HELPFUL LINKS
- Explore Mayo’s Transplant Center.
- Request an appointment.
- Connect with others in the transplant discussion group on Mayo Clinic Connect
- View our transplant toolkits on Mayo Clinic Connect
Thank you, Mark, for sharing your experience about your heart transplant journey. I was blessed with a liver and kidney in 2009, and I felt emotions of remembering my own journey because I could easliy relate what you went through. I wish you well as you begin your new adventures. Please keep on opening in your schedule so that you can play the piano in the lobby.