Flashback to 1985 and the pioneering work happening at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital would make history around the country, and ultimately forge a path for PAH to be internationally recognised as a leading hospital for liver transplantation.
But the early days weren’t easy, as Professor Russell Strong reflected on the opposition faced back then.
“At that time back in the early 80s it was very controversial and there was a lot of opposition to it,” he said.
But on 30 January 1985, history was made when Professor Strong and his team performed Australia’s first successful liver transplant at PAH. All eyes were on Brisbane with the monumental moment not setting in straight away.
“I think we were so worn out at the end of the operation I wasn’t thinking anything about it,” said Professor Strong.
But the momentum was only building for the PAH team who were preparing to perform Australia’s first liver transplant on a child.
2-year-old Rhonda Natera had become very sick six weeks after her birth with Biliary Atresia, and her parents were told she’d die unless she could get to the US – the only place doing liver transplants at the time.
Just weeks after the first adult transplant, history was made once again on 16 March, 1985 and Rhonda underwent a mammoth 12-hour surgery.
Her liver lasted 27 years, or three times longer than expected. By 2012, Rhonda’s transplanted liver had to be replaced and she also needed a new kidney.
But the significance of that first transplant is not lost on the mother-of-three who is now a passionate advocate for organ donation.
“If everyone doesn’t get on board then these types of lifesaving transplants won’t be around. I urge everyone to get onto the donor list,” she said.
“I’ve had a family so if I hadn’t had that transplant I wouldn’t be here today, I wouldn’t have been able to create life myself.”
“I’m forever in debt to both my donor families, and also to all the doctors and Professor Strong.”
“I do wish deep down I lived an easy healthy life, so I’m not going to take for granted what I’ve been given. I live every day as if tomorrow is not guaranteed.”
Professor Strong went on to pioneer the ‘Brisbane Technique’ for splitting livers which is still used world-wide today to benefit more people from one donated liver.
In the four decades since liver transplant was first introduced at PAH, more than 1700 transplants have been performed, explained Director of the Queensland Liver Transplant Unit Dr Peter Hodgkinson.
“Due to Professor Strong’s vision for patients with liver failure 40 years ago we now have a Centre of Excellence at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. It’s well recognised around the world as a leading hospital for liver transplantation,” said Dr Hodgkinson.
“We do around 60 transplants a year and people have amazing outcomes.
“Technology has also come a long way. We now have machines that can pump blood around the liver while it’s waiting to be transplanted.”
The success today, not possible without the trailblazers of the past.
“I think in a way we’d say we’re proud of the achievement,” said Professor Strong.
“But we don’t walk around thinking about that. You’re faced with problems, and you try and solve them.
“I may have helped push the barrow down the hill, but I couldn’t have done it without the rest of the team.
“And we’ve been blessed that we have donors who allow us to do this because no organ means no transplant.”
Anyone in Australia aged 16 and over can register on the Australian Organ Donor Register. It only takes one minute, visit: Home | DonateLife
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