Patrick Dangerfield makes moving plea for organ donation to help best mate Aaron Habgood
Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield is urging people to register as organ and tissue donors to save lives as his best mate hopes for a new heart transplant.
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Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield has issued a call to arms for people to register as organ and tissue donors after his best mate was diagnosed with a rare heart condition.
Aaron Habgood, 30, who co-hosts radio fishing show Reel Adventures with Dangerfield and owns online fishing website Salt Guide, will need a second heart transplant after experiencing cardiac failure late last year.
“I’ll be almost 14 years transplanted in September this year; I’ve been living life better than a normal person,” Mr Habgood said.
“When I was 16, I was diagnosed with aortic stenosis; I went in for open-heart surgery, they fixed the valve and the operation went very well, and when I was in ICU recovering from that operation I then unfortunately had cardiac arrest and I was dead for almost two hours.
“I was on a life support machine for three months. I took extremely well to the life support – I was very lucky.”
Mr Habgood said he then received a “life-changing” phone call three months later, doctors saying a heart had been found for him.
“I played cricket six weeks after my heart transplant,” he said. “I also went surfing, played basketball and footy for every season right up until I was about 24.”
Mr Habgood said he began getting short of breath last September and found out his heart was not pumping well.
“Since December 2021, I have been in for close to 20 minor surgeries; my heart is holding on to fluid hence some days not being able to tie up my shoes,” he said.
“I had my pre-transplant assessment last week and so far everything looks very positive to be put on the transplant list in the near future,” he said, adding he was grateful for the support of his family and Dangerfield.
“Paddy and I get along like a house on fire, he’s been a great mate and a great support,” he said.
He urged people to sign up to be organ and tissue donors.
“If you can give someone else a shot at life when you’re done then please do it,” he said. “I’ve been able to have the life I’ve been able to live when literally those organs would’ve gone into the bin if they hadn’t been donated.”
Dangerfield said: “My uncle died in 1996 at 20 years of age and he was listed as an organ donor, and he saved a few people’s lives with the donation that he made.
“It’s something that I’ve been aware of and it’s been part of my own family’s history.
“Organ donation can help in so many ways more than just the person whose life you’re saving.”
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Originally published as Patrick Dangerfield makes moving plea for organ donation to help best mate Aaron Habgood
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