For the past three years sheep hearts and lungs, donated by Castricum Brothers, have been used by the Cardiothoracic Department of the Alfred Hospital to improve transplant techniques.

“The hearts and lungs you gave us some time ago were very useful in laying the groundwork for some breakthroughs in the transplant area,” said Franklin Rosenfeldt, Head of the Cardiac Surgical Research Unit.

“Last year we achieved a medical first in Australia by transplanting into a young female recipient with severe lung disease from a patient who had undergone cardiac arrest. The procedure was a great success and the patient is now leading a normal life having been severely restricted beforehand.”

Castricum Brothers will continue to donate sheep hearts and lungs to assist the Alfred in the new project aimed at improving techniques for transplant of organs from patients who have had a cardiac arrest.

Mike Badman, from the Quality Assurance Department at Castricum Brothers said the company was proud to be part of such groundbreaking work that will help so many people.

“We’re proud to know that we’re not only providing high quality products for consumers but that we are able to be part of this vital research which will, in the long run, help save lives.”