A RETIRED Middlewich GP who gave himself only a short time to live is this week celebrating the first anniversary of his brand new life.

Dr Harold Pomfret, aged 64, of Chester Road, was suffering from circulatory problems and worsening heart disease.

But he was given a life-saving transplant at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, last year, which gave him the second chance he never thought possible.

The father-of-four said: "I knew exactly what was happening and had, in fact, written myself off. One year on, however, I am alive and eternally grateful to the donor who gave me a second chance in life."

Dr Pomfret retired from general practice in 1988 having previously spent 22 years as a family doctor in a group practice in Middlewich.

He underwent a heart valve replacement operation in 1992, but after a temporary improvement his heart muscle failed and doctors decided that a transplant was his only chance of survival.

A suitable donor became available on September 10 last year and Dr Pomfret became the hospital's 384th transplant recipient.

Ann Stuart, the manager of the hospital's New Heart-New Start Appeal, said: "Harold is one of a rapidly growing number of men and women throughout the region whose renewed health and zest for life clearly demonstrates the real benefits of transplantation.

"Unfortunately, there are many others now on the waiting list for a transplant and our ability to give them a second chance depends on the availability of donor organs and the generosity of donor families."

It costs £300,000 a year to provide continuing support to the transplant programme and newly-opened research unit.

In addition to this the New Heart-New Start Appeal is committed to a £1 million campaign to establish a transplant ward, now in its early planning stages.

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