Inside Hearty Towers with Helen Gibbs

Home is where the heart is: Transplant Coordinator Helen Gibbs and her team are committed to creating a home-away-from-home for New Zealand’s heart and lung transplant patients

Helen Gibbs farewelling lung transplant recipient Paul Faalogo from Hearty Towers – heading home 13 weeks after his life-saving transplant in 2018.

Can you tell us a little about your background?

I have a deep love for cardiothoracic nursing; I started my training in 1974, and I’ve been a transplant coordinator in Auckland City Hospital’s Cardiothoracic team since the 90s.

I’m now one of four coordinators working with a wonderful team of surgeons, cardiologists, respiratory physicians, intensive care doctors, and a psychosocial team consisting of psychiatrists, psychologists, physiotherapists, and social workers. We all meet weekly to discuss our patients, ensuring comprehensive care for everyone.

What are the best and most challenging parts of your job?

Even after 28 years, I’m still passionate about my job. I love looking after our patients and it’s amazing to see them get a second chance at enjoying life through transplants. Some patients are 20+ or even 25+ years post-transplant, which is pretty incredible. Being involved in their ongoing care at Hearty Towers and working with a fantastic team are the best parts of my job.

Over the years, we’ve taken on more complex patients and embraced new technology to assist those with end-stage heart failure. As New Zealand’s only heart and lung transplant provider, we’re always busy, but our supportive team helps us handle any challenge.

Can you tell us about the importance of Hearty Towers to the transplant service?

Hearty Towers is an enormous asset to our national transplant service. When the heart transplant service began in 1987, we knew we needed accommodation for patients coming to Auckland from all over the country.

Hearty Towers has evolved into a comfortable place for patients to stay during their clinic reviews and post-transplant recovery. It’s a home-away-from-home where they can rehabilitate, cook their own meals, and be educated about their care. We also run support groups and educational sessions, which are vital to our service.

What does a typical day at Hearty Towers look like?

Every day is different, but certain things always happen, like clinics and support group meetings. Donor referrals can happen anytime day or night, which require immediate organising of transplant teams and logistics. We do daily ward rounds to visit patients and coordinate their care, and we plan and prepare for the following week’s patients.

It’s always so rewarding to see patients progress in their recovery.

How many patients have been through Hearty Towers?

Since the heart transplant program began in 1987, and the lung transplant program in 1993, we’ve performed over 400 heart transplants and about 412 lung transplants; they all stay at Hearty Towers. Last year alone, we saw 112 new patients and had about 920,000 patient visits in our clinics.

Our service continues to grow, reflecting the increasing need for transplant care in New Zealand.

What impact has Hearty Towers had on patient care and outcomes?

Hearty Towers makes a huge difference in our transplant patients’ lives. It provides a home-like environment where they can recover and rehabilitate after leaving hospital, and their chosen support person can stay with them 24/7.

Patients benefit from daily gym sessions, continuous monitoring, and a supportive environment that helps them adjust to post-transplant life and achieve better long-term outcomes.

If Hearty Towers received additional funding, what improvements would happen first?

It would be wonderful to continue improving Hearty Towers’ facilities for our patients. If we had more funding, expanding Hearty Towers to accommodate more transplant recipients would be a top priority. With the growing demand for our services, we also need to grow to provide the best possible care for all our patients.

Anyone can support Hearty Towers by clicking here, selecting Cardiovascular Care, and adding Hearty Towers in the comment section.

Your contribution will help Helen and her incredible team deliver an even better service, beyond government funding constraints, by improving facilities to ensure New Zealand’s heart and lung transplant recipients can recover and rehabilitate to their fullest potential.

To find out more about Cardiovascular Care at Auckland City Hospital, and the difference donations make, click here.

Read about Paul Faalogo’s lung transplant journey and watch his video of heading home from Hearty Towers here.