Make-A-Wish Australia: Heart transplants for Newcastle teens and dad

Three members of one family all have new hearts and new lives after suffering similar heart conditions.

Until a few months ago, teenager Jazziah Cairns would struggle to walk up eight stairs to his bedroom in the family home.

Today, the 14-year-old is a budding musician and keen sportsman — thanks to a heart transplant in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, which saved him from the rare genetic condition restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Luka-Angel, 17, and Jazziah Cairns, 14, are now pursuing their dreams of being a dancer and musician respectively, after being inspired and supported by Make-A-Wish Australia, which is turning 35. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Devastatingly for the Newcastle teen and his family, this was not their first experience with the illness.

His 17-year-old sister Luka-Angel had the same condition and dad Lucas was diagnosed with another form of cardiomyopathy.

But as of two weeks ago, all three now have new healthy hearts and once Lucas recovers from his transplant, the family intends to celebrate Christmas and the New Year by bushwalking and relaxing by the beach with their two other children, a simple activity they have been unable to do for years.

“When our two middle children were diagnosed with the restrictive cardiomyopathy in 2009, we didn’t really understand their condition. Only four kids at a time will have their condition in Australia,” mum Angela said.

“We could start to see the decline as they both progressed over the years. Even walking up the eight stairs at home to go to their bedroom was really hard.”

Luka-Angel was the first in the family to have a heart transplant at the age of 13. It saved her life and helped her fulfil her lifelong dream of being a dancer.

Luka-Angel and Jazziah with mum Angela Cairns this week. Their father Lucas is recovering from his own heart transplant two weeks ago. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Jazziah’s transplant this year has allowed him to join his peers playing sport and furthering his love for music, a passion he nurtured through Make-A-Wish Australia.

The children’s charity fulfilled Jazziah’s wish for an electric guitar as he waited to receive a date for his heart transplant.

Now the young musician has his own band, Panorama Drive, and a whole new lease on life.

“I was stoked when I heard I was getting it and when I actually got the guitar I played it for three hours that day. It was a creative outlet,” he said.

Angela said while Luka-Angel’s wish to see herself on a television screen has been put on hold due to coronavirus, Make-A-Wish Australia had given both children hope for the future.

“They have given both our kids an incredible amount of hope. They have been such a blessing to our family,” she said.

The charity this week celebrates its 35th anniversary of making dreams come true for sick kids, granting more than 10,000 wishes in that time.

As Luka-Angel waits for her wish, the organisation has paired her up for acting classes with Australian stars including Kevin Harrington, Olivia Deeble and Lucy Durack.