Heart man dies after two years

Press, 26 January 1988, Page 4

Heart man dies after two years

PA Hamilton The Te Aroha heart transplant patient, Mr Rowan Stokes, died early yesterday. Almost two years after receiving a new heart at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Mr Stokes, aged 52, died at Waikato Hospital.

Early last year Mr Stokes was hit by cancer of the lymphatic system. Friends, neighbours and strangers raised $60,000 to make his heart transplant possible and Mr Stokes was able to return to his job as a machine operator

with the Piako County Council. He was even able to train for and complete a 50km bicycle ride from Hamilton to Te Aroha with his wife, Glen. That ride was to raise money for the Heart Foundation as a way of saying thank you to the community for raising the money for his operation.

Mr Stokes was rushed to hospital last Thursday after blacking out during his daily exercise session, Mrs Stokes said yesterday. The next day he again suffered a cardiac malfunction while exercising

and early yesterday his heart raced and could not pump blood, she said. Last July he travelled to Sydney for a check-up on his heart and passed with flying colours. He returned again in November for a reunion at St Vincent’s and spent four days meeting staff involved in the operation. Mrs Stokes said the transplant had given her husband “a very positive two years.” “I would go through it all again. Every day was a bonus and Rowan made the most of it,” she said.