Margaret River double lung transplant patient Daniel Woolgar urges support for Fiona Stanley Hospital

A Margaret River man reliant on urgent medical research to save his life has reiterated the importance of Perth’s Fiona Stanley Hospital for people living in regional WA. As part of DonateLife week, 49-year-old Daniel Woolgar has lived with cystic fibrosis since birth and twice received vital lung transplants. He was joining others urging South West residents to donate as part of an initiative running this week. Mr Woolgar last received expert intervention in 2019 after catching a virus which returned him to the operating table, unable to breathe on his own. Immediately after the transplant, he contracted an otherwise untreatable fungal infection which put his life in danger again. The work of FSH clinician Dr Chris Heath and others running a vital trial of life-saving medicine Olorofim returned Mr Woolgar to health. “I had several rounds of antifungals, but the particular infection I had was not treatable with these drugs and my lung function was deteriorating,” he said. “It was a miracle that I could access Olorofim through the FSH trial right when I needed it. “I’m really grateful for the simple, healthy life I now lead thanks to Olorofim, and have been able to live to see my son grow up. “It’s been a huge journey filled with immense gratitude for my donor, the medical team and their treatment, my family, and the opportunity to continue loving life.” Mr Woolgar said the crucial work of FSH researchers benefited everyone in the State. During a trip to Margaret River to visit his patient, Dr Heath told the Times he was pleased to see him doing so well despite the challenging experiences. “As in Daniel’s case, this treatment could be the difference between survival or not,” Dr Heath said. “When we chatted today, our thoughts included the feelings of being blessed by the gift of life via getting a new organ thanks to the very generous donation, given by the patient and/or their family. “We also thought that there were a number of elements of luck involved in his case, in that we had the trial up and running at FSH at exactly the same time that he desperately needed a potentially good treatment option.” The infectious diseases specialist and clinical microbiologist said the successful trial was now leading to further studies involving Olorofim as an oral medicine to treat the common infection known as invasive aspergillosis that currently required intravenous administration.