By SARAH HARKER

A WINWICK solicitor is putting his heart and soul into the campaign to save the transplant unit at Wythenshawe Hospital after celebrating the eighth anniversary of his own heart transplant.

And Bernard Higgins, aged 47, from Winwick has double reason to celebrate as his first grandchild was born just days before the special date, an occasion which, just a few years ago, he thought he'd never live to see.

Bernard, a former professional footballer for Newcastle was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy when he was only 32. The virus attacks the muscles of the heart and because it is the one muscle you are unable to rest the heart becomes bigger and less efficient leading to chronic heart failure.

After living with the virus for five years his condition began to deteriorate rapidly and he was taken to Wythenshaw where 10 days later he was given a new heart.

Bernard said: "I just took a nosedive, couldn't talk, walk, or eat - I was a skeleton. I was very lucky, 10 days after being admitted I had a new heart. The strangest thing was actually seeing my old heart and feeling my new one beating away."

Because of the nature of Bernard's virus, the heart that was removed was three times the size of a normal heart.

Brian got involved with the New Heart New Start appeal almost as soon as he recovered from the operation and is now chairman of the hospital transplant fund.

He said: "I wanted to help the transplant unit as soon as I came round from the anaesthetic, so I got involved with fundraising, then became a trustee and last year became chairman.

"The unit gave me a second chance of life, without it I would not be here now, I wouldn't have seen my daughter grow up and certainly wouldn't have been around to see my first grandchild."

Bernard is determined to help to save the unit which is threatened with closure. He said: "The biggest percentage of people treated at Wythenshawe are from Warrington. People must write to their MP and the press, the government will be reluctant to close something if they see just how much it means to people and how well supported it is."