Dr. Neal Stansbury

Heart Recipient

Neal Stansbury was a teenager when he started cycling competitively. He quickly became the person to beat, winning championships and even setting a world record. Considering his racing career and active lifestyle, Dr. Stansbury isn’t someone you’d expect to have heart problems. After developing a ventricular arrhythmia years ago, his condition was worsening fast. Dr. Stansbury was within a few weeks of death when he received a heart transplant.

After the transplant, Dr. Stansbury was able to return to work after only 10 weeks of recovery, even though he was previously told he would have to wait six months before returning to work. As an orthopedic surgeon who often uses donated bone and tissue to repair the joints and ligaments of his patients, he has always had an immense appreciation for the many people who make the decision to be organ donors.

Since the transplant, Dr. Stansbury has returned to his extremely active lifestyle by running half-marathons and returning to competitive cycling. This summer he plans to compete the Transplant Games of America, an Olympic-like event for transplant recipients. Dr. Stansbury now speaks to high school and college students to encourage them to become organ donors and continues to demonstrate how transplant recipients can still be active, powerful, and strong.

Register today to be an organ donor and your story goes on and on.