2007-06-17

History

Dr. Chris Barnard performed the world's first human heart transplant on 3 December 1967. The operation lasted nine hours and utilised a team of thirty people.

The patient, Louis Washkansky, was 55 years old and suffering from diabetes and incurable heart disease. Barnard later wrote, "For a dying man it is not a difficult decision because he knows he is at the end. If a lion chases you to the bank of a river filled with crocodiles, you will leap into the water, convinced you have a chance to swim to the other side." The transplant heart came from a young woman, Denise Darvall,... (read more)

The item

The photos below are of a set of bronze casts of Dr. Barnard's hands. They were made in 1984 - the same year he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus.

The item consists of the pair of casts, and a leather display case lined with satin and velvet. The are numbered 15 in a limited series of an unknown number.

(high resolution available on request)

Auction

We plan to auction the item later this year, in time for the 40 year anniversary. To be notified of when this will take place, as well as updates to this site, please contact me by clicking here: notify me!

Or fill in the on-line form.

The auction will take place roughly 2 months before Christmas - just in time to make this the perfect gift!

We've committed 20% of the proceeds to the British Heart Foundation.