A HEART transplant survivor has told how the vital surgery saved his life.

Gordon Hutchison needed the transplant when his heart failed when he was just 13 and, despite a serious illness four years later, now lives life to the full.

Gordon, now 27, was guest speaker at the Lennox Annual Guest Dinner on Friday, November 10 in Lennox Evangelical Church, Risk Street, Dumbarton.

The audience listened as Gordon spoke on the theme “Life after Transplant”, sharing how his life was transformed following this vital surgery.

Gordon was born with a congenital heart defect and needed surgery when he was just 11 months old to insert a pig skin valve to keep his heart pumping.

But he had to go on the transplant register when his heart failed several years later and the family had to hope that a donor would be found.

Thankfully, after just six weeks, Gordon’s mum Agnes took the call that would save his life.

Agnes, who was at the dinner with Gordon’s dad Willie, said: “They didn’t say at first they had a heart, they just asked if Gordon had a cold or cough and if he was feeling okay.

“Then they said a heart was available and an ambulance would be coming to pick him up to transport him to Glasgow Airport to be flown by air ambulance to Newcastle.

“From there another ambulance transported him to Freemans Hospital where children’s heart transplants were carried out and he spent 12 hours in surgery.”

Gordon said: “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the transplant.

“Before the transplant I couldn’t sum up the energy to walk for more than a few minutes without being totally shattered.”

Gordon admitted: “At the time I was very calm but my mum and dad understandably were the ones having to do all the worrying. “My dad broke down as I was going into theatre but my mum managed to hold it together, just.

“I had to have faith in the surgeons and knew they would do the best they possibly could for me.”

Gordon, from Strathaven, also told how his life, family and faith were stretched to the limits as he experienced weeks in isolation then hospital stays battling infections and recuperating before finally being discharged home.

Following his transplant, Gordon was able to live a normal life and enjoyed it to the full until fate struck him another cruel blow and he was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, a form of cancer, aged just 17.

He then had a year of chemotherapy but was determined to fight it.

Gordon married the love of his life Catriona Anderson in 2013. Their wedding favours included an organ donor sign up form.

Gordon, who features in the “We Need Everybody” organ donor campaign, expressed his gratitude to his donor who gave him “the gift of life”.

Last year he climbed Ben Nevis in the snow and walked the West Highland Way to show people just how much organ donation changes lives.

David Buchan, church leader, said: “We were very grateful for David and his mum and dad for coming along to share their stories. It was inspiring to hear how Gordon’s experiences has affected his life and faith.”