Brave transplant patient Jessica Manning has revealed how she was recently stopped by airport security – because she was taking her old heart through Customs. Manning, 30 – who underwent a double heart and liver transplant eight years ago – was moving from New Zealand to Australia and had the organ in her hand baggage when she was stopped by officials. She recounted how workers wanted to rule out any cross-border health hazards, but let her continue on her journey after she revealed her story and past medical history.
Manning said: “So I was there for about an hour trying to get this dang heart through to Australia.” “I have it now though, and it’s safe in my wardrobe.” Manning, originally from New Zealand, was born with six heart defects, which led to her having multiple heart surgeries growing up, her first three open heart surgeries occurring when she was aged 5 months, then 3 and 6 years old.
This eventually resulted in a full heart and liver transplant. “When I was 19, I went into heart failure. And then when I was 22, I was diagnosed with liver disease.
” “The liver disease was due to a procedure I had when I was 3 years old. “In December 2016, I was assessed for heart and liver transplant, but because it had not been done in New Zealand or Australia on someone born with heart issues, it took them a long time to decide whether it was something that they were willing to risk. “I ended up being put on the transplant list in April 2017 and I waited.
