The surgeon who performed the world's first human heart transplant was born into rural poverty. He would grow up to become one of the most famous surgeons the world has ever known. He would be a millionaire many times over and would date famous actresses and models. Yet he didn't gain recognition for inventing a new surgical technique or discovering a cure. When he performed the world's first heart transplant, the operation had already been mapped out by others, every step carefully detailed. But only one surgeon had the courage to risk both failure and professional criticism.
Though the first heart transplant was an enormous risk, more than 100,000 similar surgeries have since been performed world-wide. In the United States, an estimated 2400 patients receive transplanted hearts each year. Eighty-seven percent of them survive for over a year and nearly 75% are alive five years later. They owe those extra years of life to the courage of one surgeon. His name is Christian Barnard, and this is his story.
