2006 marks the beginning of a new chapter, a life filled with new possibilities for Justin Cornish. The 16-year-old from Lincoln, Neb. is doing well just days after undergoing a heart transplant at The Nebraska Medical Center.
Justin and his mother received word in the early morning hours of Friday, December 30th that a donor heart was available. The teenager seemed to have a sixth sense that his lifesaving surgery was on the horizon. “The day before he kept saying, ‘Mom, I know I’m going to get a heart. My heart’s coming tomorrow,’” said Vickie Cornish, Justin’s mother. “When we got the call, I couldn’t believe it. It was just amazing.”
Prior to Friday evening’s surgery, Justin’s condition had deteriorated significantly. However, less than 24 hours after the transplant, he was already showing signs of improvement.
“Justin is really adjusting well to his new heart and the new heart is adjusting well to Justin’s body,” said Mohammed Quader, M.D., lead heart transplant surgeon at The Nebraska Medical Center and assistant professor of cardio-thoracic surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “There’s a clear difference in his overall attitude and condition. When I walked into his room Saturday morning, the first thing Justin did was give me a double thumbs up sign.”
“I am so grateful my son is alive,” said Vickie. “I want to thank all of the doctors who have given him such wonderful care.”
The transplant was Justin’s final hope. He suffers from an extremely rare form of muscular dystrophy called Danon’s disease. It attacked his heart, leaving him with very little time and limited treatment options. The same condition killed two of Justin’s brothers, Richard, 18, in 2002 and Everett, 13, in 2004.
“Justin’s really glad that he’s alive,” explained his mother. “He said he’s going to live a good life for himself and for his brothers who didn’t have a chance to do that.”
“He was so excited and kept on thanking me and the transplant team for doing his surgery,” said Dr. Quader. “I feel a profound sense of accomplishment that we were able to help this family.”
Vickie is also quick to acknowledge the sacrifice that gave Justin a second chance. “I spend a lot of time praying for the family who made the decision to donate the organ. I know what they’re going through with the loss of a loved one,” she said. “They were generous to help other people like my son.”
Vickie just recently renewed her driver’s license and described herself as being in tears as she indicated that she wanted to be an organ donor. She hopes her family’s emotional struggle will pave the way for change on two fronts.
“I urge people to become organ donors and I’m also working toward increasing awareness for muscular dystrophy. I’d like to see a cure so this doesn’t happen to other people. It’s been too late for my children, but I hope ongoing genetic research and other advances could help my grandchildren.”
Two of Justin’s other siblings, an older sister and a younger brother, have not shown signs of Danon’s disease. Vickie Cornish, however, experienced adult onset of the condition and now uses a pacemaker and defibrillator.
Justin’s transplant marks the fifth heart transplant in just three months at The Nebraska Medical Center.
With a reputation for excellence, innovation and extraordinary patient care, the Nebraska Medical Center has earned the J.D. Power & Associates highest healthcare honor – Hospital of Distinction. Consumers selected The Nebraska Medical Center as a top hospital with the 2005 Consumer Choice Award. As the teaching hospital for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, this 689 licensed bed facility has an international reputation for providing solid organ and bone marrow transplantation services and is well known nationally and regionally for its oncology, neurology and cardiology programs. The Nebraska Medical Center can be found online at www.nebraskamed.com.
UNMC is the only public health science center in the state. Its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers in cancer, transplantation biology, bioterrorism preparedness, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genetics, biomedical technology, ophthalmology and arthritis. UNMC’s research funding from external sources is now more than $72 million annually and has resulted in the creation of nearly 2,400 highly skilled jobs in the state.
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