At the heart of transplant care
For Trisha, her work starts and ends with people: the patients she meets at their sickest, the families who place their trust in her, and the quiet but powerful moments when she sees someone reclaim a life they thought they’d lost.
For the past seven years, she has worked as a Heart Transplant Nurse at The Alfred, supporting patients through the earliest, most vulnerable stages of recovery and long after they leave the hospital.
Alongside her nursing role, she also provides after hours and weekend transplant coordination, helping guide urgent decisions when they are needed most.
Trish’s pathway began in acute and complex cardiac care, where she supported patients who were in advanced heart failure, or who were post surgery, eventually progressing to Associate Nurse Manager of the ward.
“You build such a special bond with these patients and their families,” Trisha said.
“Watching someone go from being so unwell to walking out of hospital with a new heart is incredible. But on the ward, I didn’t always get to see the next chapter. That curiosity pushed me toward transplant.”
Now, as part of the transplant team, her days continue to be fast paced and varied, but offer an ongoing sense of connection that energises Trisha.
On Mondays and Thursdays, she sees newer transplant recipients coming in for routine biopsies to track how they’re going.
“It’s not just the procedure,” she says. “It’s a chance to sit with people, check in on how they’re coping, and support their families through what can be an overwhelming journey.”
She also helps run transplant clinics, coordinating follow up investigations, long‑term reviews and ongoing care. Outside of clinic days, she is a lifeline for patients in the community.
“We’re often the first people they call when something doesn’t feel right. We triage, advise and support them and we do everything we can to keep them safe at home.”
The role brings deep reward but also grief, said Trisha. Some relationships last decades, which makes loss difficult.
“You do get attached,” she says. “It’s a privilege to know someone for that long, but it can be emotionally tough when they pass away.”
While it’s almost impossible to think of one stand out moment or patient, Trisha is inspired daily by the collective experience of seeing people rebuild their lives.
“We see people at their sickest. Then we watch them travel, return to work, compete in transplant games, or simply enjoy moments they never thought they’d have again.”
“Being part of someone’s second chance is what makes this job special.”
In late 2025, The Alfred marked 1000 heart transplants.
We’re celebrating this incredible milestone and the inspiring stories of those who have been part of this journey, as part of our 1000 Hearts campaign.
