HERSHEY, Pa. — Some of the 487 people who have received a new heart at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center over the past three decades gathered to celebrate their successes.
The heart transplant patient reunion on May 5 was an opportunity for them to share stories and catch up with friends, many of whom met while in the hospital. Nearly 40 transplant recipients — who’ve been living with their new hearts for anywhere from four months to 27 years — attended the event, along with friends and family members.
Hershey Medical Center is the only hospital outside of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia that performs heart transplant surgery. The Medical Center currently provides follow-up care to more than 180 heart transplant recipients.