Former Brisbane and Queensland prop Gavin Allen finds a new lease on life following heart transplant

Former Origin star Gavin Allen is making the most of his new lease on life after he successfully underwent a heart transplant earlier this year.

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Former Queensland Origin great Gavin Allen says his four kids are helping him make the most of his “new life” after the 54-year-old successfully underwent a heart transplant earlier this year.

Allen has familial cardiomyopathy – a hereditary condition where the heart increases in size, leading to abnormal heart function, progressive deterioration and ultimately failure – and has thanked his doctors for giving him a “new lease on life”.

He spent much of last year in the care of the Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Service team led by Dr George Javorsky at Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital, while waiting for a donor heart.

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Allen underwent a heart transplant earlier this year. Photograph by Liam Kidston.

Just before Christmas last year, Allen received the news he had been hoping for – a heart had been made available and he immediately went under the knife to have the transplant.

The premiership-winning Bronco was part of Brisbane’s 1992 grand final victory, as well as Queensland’s unforgettable 1995 Origin clean sweep.

However, his healthy, playing days appeared a lifetime ago when his condition deteriorated in recent years, so much so he could only walk 10 metres before being out of breath.

He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy about 18 months after his final playing season in 1996 and had been on medication ever since.

When the medication wore off early last year, he had to have an artificial heart installed, known as a Ventricular Assist Device before receiving a donated organ a few months later.

Allen opened up to The Courier-Mail this week about the extent of his struggle in the months before receiving a new heart.

Allen was part of Queensland’s 1995 Origin side.

“Before I went in, I couldn’t walk 10 metres without getting out of breath,” Allen said.

“When I went in there originally, in January 2018, I was crook.

“I had to stop four times just to get to the front reception because I was just out of breath.

“Since I’ve been out, I walk seven kilometres every morning.

“Honestly, the only reason I don’t do any more is because my ankle is playing up from an old football injury.

“The doctors and everyone were outstanding. Every single person in the hospital was unbelievable.”

Allen admitted when he was contemplating his future in the hospital bed, he made a vow to make the most of his life once he got out.

His four kids, aged 20, 18, 16 and 14, have been pivotal to his recovery as has his former Broncos teammates – who walk 7km around Brisbane every morning together.

“I try and keep as active as possible because (the doctors) don’t actually want you sitting around and resting or taking it easy,” he said.

“They want you to work the heart.

Gavin Allen, Willie Carne, Barry Maranta and Gene Miles at The Broncos Club redevelopment launch earlier this month. AAP Image/Richard Walker.

“To be honest, the one thing I wanted to do when I got out was to just not sit around.

“I don’t want to sit around and just waste my life, waiting around doing nothing.

“The more you can get out and do things, the better, and I have four kids so I can usually do stuff with them.

“They’ve been really good for me. When you have that many kids, you’re always moving around.”

Dr Javorsky said it had been a team effort in giving Allen a better life and has called for more men to become organ donors to help many other Australians.

“Not a lot of men put their hand up to become a donor of an organ compared to women,” Dr Javorsky said.

“I think people still assume you get the tick on your licence and that’s it but it’s not. People have to get online to the Australian Organ Donor registry and register that way.

“It’s also a discussion with your family.”

Allen – the former Queensland Maroons team manager – is now gearing up to manage a rugby league charity match in Cairns next month between the International Legends of League and a local north Queensland side.