Chch boy awaits new heart at Green Lane

Press, 20 November 1987, Page 8

Chch boy awaits new heart at Green Lane

By ANABRIGHT HAY A Christchurch boy, Phillip Robinson, aged 13, is in Auckland’s Green Lane Hospital waiting for the heart which could make him the first person to have heart transplant surgery in a New Zealand hospital. He flew to Auckland with his mother, Mrs Trish Robinson, on Wednesday. She plans to stay with her son while he is at the hospital. Phillip’s uncle, Mr Allan Gardiner, said the family, particularly Mrs Robinson was feeling the strain of waiting, financially and emotionally.

“We are thinking we might perhaps start some sort of fund-raising campaign.” Until five months ago, Phillip was a healthy, active third former but a viral infection left his heart muscles seriously weakened.

Earlier . this month, Phillip was sent to Green Lane Hospital for tests which confirmed him as an acceptable transplant candidate.

A team of heart specialists has been standing by for seven weeks at the hospital but no suitable donors have been available.

In September, Phillip, a keen rugby follower, - was thrilled when his hero, Robbie Deans, visited him at Christchurch Hospital.

Phillip’s condition had deteriorated in the last few weeks and he was now really too weak to do much more than sleep and watch television, Mr Gardiner said.

“I think he’s pretty sick of the whole business.”

Doctors initially considered sending Phillip to Sydney’s St Vincent Hospital but his family were relieved when he was accepted for the surgery in New Zealand.