This man is still alive 39 years after a heart transplant, setting a Guinness World Record

If a person's heart is not working properly then there is no other option but heart transplant. Even if a transplant is done, everyone wants to know the answer to one question: How many years will the person be able to live a normal life? Some say 5 years, 10 years while some experts say up to 16 years. But Bert Jansen, a citizen of the Netherlands, has changed all these claims. Bert Jansen holds the Guinness World Record for the longest surviving transplant patient at 39 years and 100 days.

The year was 1984 when Burt Jensen learned that he had a serious heart condition. He was only 17 years old. The disease was then called cardiomyopathy. A disease of the heart muscle that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood around the body. After examining him, the doctor said that Jensen only had 6 months to live, but after 40 years, it proved that it is absolutely possible to live a long-term life even after a heart transplant.

Jensen received a life donation from two organ donors

Jensen says he wants to be an example to people. When the Dutchman was diagnosed with his illness in 1984, the Netherlands did not have enough technology to perform a heart transplant. So, cardiologist Albert Metart sent Bert Jensen to Harefield Hospital in England.

A few years later a tragic car accident occurred in which two young adults died. Thanks to their organ donation, Janson underwent a transplant surgery in June of the same year. A life-saving operation was performed by Magdi Yakub. Jensen is very fit but has had to slow down due to side effects of heart-related medications.

Before this, the world record was held in the name of this person

Guinness World Records has officially recognized Jensen's achievement of surviving 39 years and 100 days after the transplant. According to Guinness, the previous record was 34 years and 359 days, held by Canadian Harold Sokyrka in 2021. Doctors say that transplant patients need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay active. This is what Jensen did that allowed him to live so long.