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Hospital charity gets record-breaking £435k gift

Aimee DexterCambridgeshire
News imageRoyal Papworth Hospital Charity Terry, on the left, is wearing a patterned shirt and a black coat and has short brown hair. Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess is on the right and has short dark blonde hair, and is wearing a black coat. They are stood on a hill. Royal Papworth Hospital Charity
Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess made the donation because her brother had a heart transplant at Royal Papworth Hospital

A hospital charity has received a "record-breaking" donation of more than £450,000.

The Royal Papworth Hospital Charity (RPHC) said £453,611.60 was given by Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess, the largest donation by an individual in its 30-year history.

Described by RPHC as an "extraordinary act of philanthropy", the gift was a "thank you" to Royal Papworth, in Cambridge, for saving the life of her brother, Terry Tomlin, who had a pioneering heart transplant in 2015.

"We are extremely grateful to Terry's heart donor and their family, who gave him a gift we could never repay – the gift of life," said Tomlin-Hess.

RPHC said the money would help accelerate research and innovation in heart transplantation.

Terry Tomlin, from Leicestershire, was one of the first transplant patients in Europe to receive a non-beating heart, known as donation after circulatory death (DCD).

Royal Papworth was the first hospital in Europe to perform a heart transplant using the DCD method.

News imagePA Media The exterior of Royal Papworth Hospital. A large hospital with several floors. Much of the modern building has blue cladding. The words "Royal Papworth" are in big letters over a covered entrance. There are vehicles, including an ambulance, in front of the hospital.PA Media
The Royal Papworth, in Cambridge, is the UK's leading cardiothoracic hospital

British-born Tomlin-Hess, who now lives in the United States, said: "I am now very happy to be in a position where I can truly thank Royal Papworth with a donation that will help to save many, many more lives."

RPHC said it would help three projects: improving donor heart assessment; extending preservation times for donor hearts; testing affordable technology for perfusion, the process by which blood is supplied to organ.

News imageRoyal Papworth Hospital Charity Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess is on the left. She has short dark blonde hair, and is wearing a blue shirt, dark blue jeans and a black rucksack. On the right is Robert Hess who has short grey hair and is wearing glasses, a blue T-shirt with a bull on it, a lanyard and a black rucksack. Royal Papworth Hospital Charity
Part of the donation by Tomlin-Hess was a contribution from her late husband, Robert Hess

The £453,000 included a contribution from her late husband Robert Hess, whose passion for philanthropy, RPHC said, began after the premature death of his son in 1973.

Tomlin-Hess said: "Robert cared very much for my brother Terry and promised him that, after his surgery, when he was well enough to travel, Robert would treat him to a fishing trip in Alaska."

Krystyna Grant, RPHC managing director, said: "We are overwhelmed by Wendy's generosity and the potential of this gift to transform lives across the globe.

"Through Wendy's support, Royal Papworth will continue to lead innovation in heart care and support, ensuring more patients receive the gift of life."

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