A HEART transplant champion has won a prestigious national accolade.
Winsford schoolboy Max Johnson, who helped to change the law on organ donation, has received a British Heart Foundation (BHF) Gamechanger award at a star-studded event in London.
The 11-year-old attended the BHF’s Heart Heroes awards at London’s Globe Theatre on Friday. He was presented with his award by TV presenter Vernon Kay in a ceremony attended by celebrities including Glenn Hoddle and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.
Max was only eight when he suddenly fell ill and was being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which caused his heart to enlarge, triggering end stage heart failure.
Max Johnson has inspired hundreds of people to sign up to the organ donor register
His story was featured on a BBC2 documentary Heart Transplant - A Chance to Live, in the first ever heart transplant operation aired on television.
Max's new heart was donated by Keira Ball, a nine-year-old who died in a car accident. The programme inspired a 500 per cent rise in organ donor register sign ups overnight and inspired the Government to support new legislation to make organ donation opt-out, rather than opt-in. This legislation was passed in February and named Max and Keira’s Law.
Max has worked closely with the BHF on their Lifeline Appeal to encourage families to talk about their wishes and sign up to the organ donation registry and to support the charity’s work. He also starred in last year’s BHF Christmas Campaign which raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for research into post-transplant immunity.
Max said: “It is special because it is such a massive charity, one I have helped raise money for. I will look back and think to myself: ‘I’ve helped make a small difference’. I will cherish the award for my entire life. It will help me remember my childhood, and what I have done.”
Max with his dad Paul, 45, mum Emma, 49, and brother Harry, 13
Sitting beside so many famous people made a big impression on the schoolboy.
Max said: "It was a real honour to be on a table with a real Duchess! I also loved the magician who visited our table."
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This was the BHF’s second year of hosting the prestigious Heart Hero awards, celebrating individuals of all ages who have shown immense strength in the face of adversity or have made a significant impact in helping those living with heart and circulatory diseases.
Nominations are now open for next year’s Heart Hero Awards. If you know someone worthy of being celebrated for something incredible they have done for heart health or shown outstanding bravery despite their own heart conditions, you can nominate them here bhf.org.uk/heartheroes
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