The heart transplant program at the LMU Klinikum looks back on a tradition of over 50 years. More than 1,500 patients have already received a new heart here. 121 of them, aged between twelve and 86, attended the reception in the Old Town Hall. "It is fitting for a cosmopolitan city with a heart and the capital of medicine that we are able to honor these people today," said Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter. He recalled his early fascination with heart transplants, "when Christiaan Barnard transplanted the first human heart in South Africa". Reiter paid special attention to Prof. Bruno Reichart, honorary citizen of the City of Munich and former Director of the Cardiac Surgery Clinic at LMU Klinikum, "whose work laid the foundations for today's progress".

For Prof. Erich Lejeune, founder of the Heart for Heart Foundation, the transplant patients themselves are the best ambassadors: "With their life energy, they show what is possible." The foundation, represented by Erich and Irène Lejeune, also made the reception possible with a donation of 25,000 euros to the Cardiac Surgery Clinic, with music and many encounters at the buffet. Prof. Markus M. Lerch, Medical Director of the LMU Clinic and host of the evening, emphasized: "Behind every transplant is a fate full of hope, courage and impressive life energy." Many of those affected lead a normal life today - including Dr. Bernd Ulrich (86 years old), who has been living with a donor heart for 43 years - longer than anyone else in the world

Despite these success stories, the organ shortage in Germany remains a major challenge. "We urgently need structural reforms and a rethink in politics and society," says Lerch.

Those affected would also like to see changes. Thomas Krauß, who has been living with an artificial heart for seven years and is waiting for a transplant, spoke out in favor of both the objection solution and an expansion of the donor criteria. As a thank you to the many helpers during his time at the clinic, he presented a wooden sculpture in the shape of a heart to the Cardiac Surgery Clinic on behalf of other patients.

Extreme mountaineer Thomas Huber contributed to the lasting motivation of the patients. In his impressive presentation about climbing the highest mountains in the world, he drew a comparison with coping with a serious heart condition or a heart transplant. "As unimaginable as it is at the beginning, it all starts with the first step," said Huber.

Entertainment and contemplative moments were provided by violinist Beatrix Löw-Beer with three spirited pieces on the one hand and actress Monika Baumgartner with two sensitive readings on the other. The evening in the Old Town Hall thus became a strong sign of courage to face life, solidarity and a future-oriented allocation of life-saving organs - and a place of encounter that shows what it means to live with and for each other.

Cardiac surgery at the LMU Klinikum is an independent surgical specialty based at the Grosshadern and Augustinum Heart Clinic sites and currently performs over 3,000 operations a year. Highly qualified teams of doctors, nurses and other staff work at both sites to provide patients with the best possible treatment. Close cooperation with other specialist disciplines enables flexible and holistic individual treatment, even beyond specialist boundaries. In addition to patient care with the largest heart transplant program in southern Germany, the cardiac surgery department with its 155 employees focuses on basic scientific research, student teaching and the training of junior medical staff.