Months After Heart Transplant, Woman Seeks To Give Back

Jane Tecce has the rare perspective of having experienced both sides of being an organ donor. Years ago after her son's death at age 24, his organs were donated so others could have a new chance at life. Today, Tecce is recovering from a heart transplant she received some 16 months ago. She also received a kidney transplant at that time. 

"My kids are starting to have kids now," she said in a recent conversation with Patch. "I'm being a grammy. I can't imagine not being here."

Her motivation to help spread the word about becoming an organ donor is not limited to just her experiences. Tecce lost her brother David to heart disease when he was 51 and waiting for a transplant. A younger brother Jimmy had a heart transplant in 2000 at Tufts and lived for eight years after that. 

"I've been on both ends of it," she said. "That's what I feel is important."

Tecce said organ donors and recipients actually interact routinely through email and letters if they wish to do so—although this typically won't happen until a year or so after a transplant. In her case, she met her donor's family on the one-year anniversary of the transplant, an event she described as "very emotional." 

Those who receive an organ transplant will face an elevated risk of infection in the months after the procedure, and Tecce recalled having some setbacks in the early going.

"In the last six months, I've done really, really well," she said, adding she also hopes to return to work while potentially doing some speaking and information tables for the New England Organ Bank.

"I want to remember the people that gave me this chance," Tecce said.

To learn more about becoming an organ donor, go to the New England Organ Bank's website at DonateLifeNewEngland.org.