A retired soldier, 14 years after a life-saving heart transplant, is training to climb Mount Kinabalu to inspire other organ donation recipients
PETALING JAYA: Fourteen years after undergoing a life-saving heart transplant, retired army serviceman Aidzil Jaafar is pushing his physical and mental limits with plans to scale Mount Kinabalu in June.
Aidzil, 48, said his decision to climb Southeast Asia’s highest peak celebrates his remarkable journey of survival and renewal.
He added that he wants to send a message that organ transplant recipients can lead active and meaningful lives with proper care and discipline.
“This isn’t just about climbing a mountain. It’s about showing that organ recipients like me can live actively, just like everyone else. The heart I received gave me a second chance at life,” he told theSun in a phone interview.
Recounting the beginning of his heart issue, Aidzil said he began experiencing symptoms about six months before being diagnosed in 2011, when he was 34.
Despite remaining active in military training, he noticed his body was no longer functioning as it once did.
“I got tired very easily, had shortness of breath, bloating and my body started turning yellow. Climbing just one flight of stairs felt like running five kilometres,” said the father of nine.
He sought treatment at a hospital before being referred to the National Heart Institute (IJN), where further examinations revealed he was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and weakened, with pumping capacity reduced to below 50%.
“The doctors told me my heart was no longer pumping properly. That was when I truly realised how serious my condition was.”
Although he had smoked during his bachelor years, Aidzil said he quit upon joining the Armed Forces in 1999 and has remained a non-smoker since.
After being placed on the heart transplant waiting list, Aidzil underwent a series of stringent medical evaluations before receiving a compatible heart roughly a year later, a waiting period he described as “extremely fortunate” compared with many others.
“That’s when I learned how difficult it is to find a suitable heart. The size has to match, the blood group has to be compatible. Alhamdulillah, everything aligned.”
Aidzil acknowledged that the heart he received came from a deceased person but said he has never known the identity of the individual nor the donor’s family.
“IJN strictly maintains confidentiality. There were gatherings organised for families and recipients of donors, but identities were never disclosed.
“All I can do is pray for the donor and the family concerned.”
He said life after the transplant changed completely.
Activities that once seemed impossible became part of his daily routine again, including running and exercising without breathlessness.
“It’s like I died and came back to life. My breathing feels strong and long again. That’s a blessing I’ll never forget.”
Now back in his hometown in Sabah following retirement, Aidzil has begun light training, including jogging, in preparation for the Mount Kinabalu climb.
“If I feel I can’t manage it, I won’t force myself. But for now, I want to challenge myself.”
He hopes his story will help raise public awareness about the importance of organ donation.
“One donor can save many lives. I am living proof.”
