General News
2 April, 2026
Lucky to be alive
CAIRNS tradie Daniel Walters suffered heart failure nearly two years ago and today his life depends on protecting “Lizzie” – the name he has given to the donated heart now beating inside him.
In July last year, the 42-year-old received a life-saving heart transplant from an anonymous donor, a gift that instantly felt deeply personal.
“Normally you don’t know the donor, but for me, it was very clear,” he said.
“When I woke up after the transplant, I immediately felt like her name was Elizabeth.
“Now it’s my job to look after her and keep her going.”
The Cairns construction manager’s life was flipped upside down in May 2024, when he started feeling uncomfortable in his chest.
“I was short of breath, especially when lying flat,” he said.
“It got worse over about two weeks. I couldn’t lie down at all and had to sit up. Mr Walters said he continued to work.
“I was still trying to do physical work in construction, and even F45 (gym) classes, but things became more difficult.
“At first, I thought it might be a virus or something similar.”
After the problem worsened, Mr Walters visited Cairns Hospital’s emergency department.
Testing indicated he was undergoing heart failure, with a blood clot forming in his heart.
“While I was in hospital, I had two strokes,” he said.
“That meant time in the stroke ward. I lost some memory, my hearing became very sensitive and certain lights were too bright.
“Fortunately, my body function, vision and hearing recovered to a good degree.”
Mr Walters’ heart health did not improve despite care from the hospital’s cardiac team.
His ejection fraction (EF) – a percentage measuring how much blood the heart’s left ventricle pumps out with each contraction – dropped to 7%. A healthy EF is usually between 55-70%.
“I was referred to the advanced heart failure team in Brisbane in February 2025,” Mr Walters said.
“I was meant to stay just two days, but they decided to implant an LVAD (left ventricular assist device) to help my heart pump blood properly.
“I stayed in hospital, including the ICU, until March 2025.”
Two months later, Mr Walters was listed for a heart transplant, after a lengthy series of tests and health checks.
He received a call in July that a heart was ready for him.
“It’s surreal,” he said.
“I’m still processing the gift I’ve been given and how to say thank you.
“Someone had to pass away for me to receive this, so I’m grateful to have been chosen and am focused on giving back.”
Mr Walters recently returned to Cairns Hospital to thank the cardiac and rehabilitation teams, who assisted him throughout his health journey.
“Everyone in Cairns was incredible – they showed up with smiles, even on tough days,” he said.
Cairns Hospital heart failure clinical nurse Natalie Spence said Mr Walters was extremely lucky to survive his heart failure, considering his rapid deterioration from the moment of diagnosis through to requiring a transplant.
“Daniel ultimately attended our cardiac conditioning (gym) program, where he had extensive discussions and support from our team,” Ms Spence said.
She said the program helped him understand how to manage his condition.
