Rhys Thomas (right) and his partner Kez Green (left) are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their baby in a few months’ time.
Image: Supplied
Former Wales rugby international Rhys Thomas says he feels he has “a future to be really excited about” after undergoing a successful heart transplant at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town.
Thomas, 43, received the life-changing call from Cape Town cardiac surgeon Willie Koen a few weeks ago, informing him that a donor heart had become available.
The South African-born former prop, who played for the Wales national rugby union team, suffered a massive heart attack during training in 2012 at the age of 29, abruptly ending his professional rugby career.
Despite undergoing two heart surgeries in the United Kingdom, Thomas developed end-stage heart failure and later received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to help his heart pump blood.
Dr Koen said the device prolonged Thomas’s life but severely affected his quality of life.
Thomas also battled depression and addiction following the end of his rugby career. In 2019, friends intervened and arranged treatment for him at Netcare Akeso Stepping Stones in Cape Town.
He described the experience as transformative and said it helped him begin rebuilding his life.
Rhys Thomas, 43, holds his damaged heart in his hands following his heart transplant at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town.
Image: Supplied
Thomas had lived in the UK for 24 years and spent eight years on the transplant waiting list there. He returned to South Africa 18 months ago after UK doctors raised concerns about the risks associated with transplant surgery and his recovery prospects.
He now lives permanently in Cape Town, where he works as a breathwork practitioner and co-founded a wellness facility called Saunahaüs.
As his health deteriorated, Thomas approached Dr Koen for assistance. He said he trusted the surgeon to guide him through the transplant procedure.
Thomas was already at work when he received the call to report to hospital for surgery.
He said waking up in the surgical ICU two days later and seeing his children beside his bed was an emotional moment after undergoing his third open-heart surgery.
Thomas praised Dr Koen and the medical team for successfully navigating extensive scar tissue from previous surgeries during the complex procedure.
Dr Koen confirmed the surgery had been successful despite the challenges posed by the scar tissue.
He also highlighted South Africa’s critical shortage of organ donors, warning that many patients die while waiting for heart transplants.
Dr Koen urged South Africans to discuss organ donation wishes with their families, noting that relatives make the final decision on donation after death.
Thomas echoed the call for more organ donors, saying the generosity of the donor’s family had given him a second chance at life.
Speaking from home after the operation, Thomas said he was recovering steadily, walking short distances daily and adjusting to life with his new heart.
He also thanked his partner, Kez Green, for supporting him throughout his recovery, including while she was six months pregnant.
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