AddThis SmartLayers

Double lung transplant for regional press journalist

Journalist Mark Allen is recovering after undergoing a double lung transplant – on his birthday.

The 34-year-old, who was born with cystic fibrosis, spent 19 months waiting for the life-saving transplant after being struck down by pneumonia.

He had previously been able to lead an active life and had worked at the Staffordshire Newsletter, the weekly Chronicle in Cannock and the Express & Star in Stafford before spending three years travelling through Australia, Asia and the Far East.

But when he became ill he could walk no more than a few feet and had to be attached to oxygen 24 hours a day.

During his wait for a suitable donor, Mark was forced to put his life on hold and had a case packed ready and waiting for the time when he was whisked off to the hospital in an ambulance.

He faced five false alarms and was unable to work, but was not entitled to claim jobseekers allowance or incapacity benefit because he had spent so long out of the country – forcing him to rely on savings and disabled living allowance.

Now back home after the double transplant, Mark told HoldtheFrontPage: “I’m feeling 100 times better than I was before.

“It had felt as if I was treading water and now I feel like I have been born again.

“My lung capacity is already improving – I was at 12 per cent before the transplant and am now up to 59 per cent, but it could take around nine months to get up to full capacity.

“It is a bit surreal to think that part of someone else is inside of me and it is a big responsibility.”

Mark underwent his transplant at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and woke up with his new lungs on his birthday.

Following the operation he encountered a huge scare when a scan picked up fluid on one of the lungs, but thanks to the skills of a surgical team he survived.

Now he is beginning to get back to normality and doing some freelance writing, and is hoping to go back to work full-time next year.

  • While waiting for his transplant Mark set up his own blog to help keep friends and family informed, and it has since received more than 6,000 hits. You can read it at http://transplantwait.blogspot.com/