"Heart-to-Heart" program was launched by Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. The program creates an opportunity for the patients to hold their own hearts after surgery.
According to Mail Online, hospitals normally dispose surgically-removed organs after testing and recording. The "heart-to-heart" program then creates a bridge between visual and real. It gave a chance to more than 70 people to visually sight their heart and hold it before it is stored for further study.
The "heart-to-heart" program disproves people's notion on the ideal appearance of the heart. Contrary to being red in color, the real heart is colored gray due to formaldehyde. Some are even dissected for observation and some with yellow spots because of cholesterol.
Furthermore, as reported by Atlas Obscura, the "heart-to-heart" program has started in 2014. Dr. William C. Roberts one of the pioneers of the program aims to educate the patients regarding the various causes of heart failure. At Baylor, the medical center has utilities to keep the hearts from transplant patients and autopsies.
Probably, 99.5 percent of hospital is throwing the hearts away after proper documentation and reporting as stated by Roberts. Since 2003, Roberts who is also a cardiac pathologist and executive director of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute has been preserving and saving hearts for further experiments.
John Bell was among of the lucky patients who experienced the "heart-to-heart" program. He suffered 25 years of heart problems and started bypass surgery at the age of 50. In March 2014, Bell underwent transplantation in order to set him free from Congestive Heart Failure. During his recovery, he asked the team if he is allowed to watch the video of the operation but surprisingly, a more exciting and thrilling chance was granted. He was allowed to hold his own heart.
One of the core goals of the "heart-to-heart" program was also stated by Roberts. He wanted to stress to people who had heart transplant that they are very special and very lucky. They were few of millions who received a new heart and moved on with their life.
