For most families, medical history involves a few bad knees or poor eyesight. But for Luka-Angel Cairns, heart transplants are woven right through her family's story.

To mark DonateLife Week 2026, David sits down with Luka-Angel, who received a life-saving heart transplant at age 13—following her father, brother, and grandfather, who all underwent heart transplants due to an inherited heart condition.

In this deeply moving episode, we explore what it's like to wait seven years for a donor heart, the complex mix of gratitude and grief that comes with survival, and how organ donation completely transformed her life from watching ballet from the wings to performing on stage.


The Cairns Family Legacy: How four members of the same family overcame a rare inherited heart condition through the power of transplantation.


The Waiting Game: What it's like growing up with severe cardiomyopathy and the reality of waiting years for the call.


The Emotional Reality: Navigating the profound gratitude for a donor's gift alongside the complex sadness attached to it.


The Simple Call to Action: Why 4 in 5 Australians support donation, but only 36% are registered—and how you can fix that in just one minute.

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a donor, this is the story that will inspire you to take action.

For most families, medical history involves a few bad knees or poor eyesight. But for Luka-Angel Cairns, heart transplants are woven right through her family's story.
To mark DonateLife Week 2026, David sits down with Luka-Angel, who received a life-saving heart transplant at age 13&mdash;following her father, brother, and grandfather, who all underwent heart transplants due to an inherited heart condition.
In this deeply moving episode, we explore what it's like to wait seven years for a donor heart, the complex mix of gratitude and grief that comes with survival, and how organ donation completely transformed her life from watching ballet from the wings to performing on stage.
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<li>
The Cairns Family Legacy: How four members of the same family overcame a rare inherited heart condition through the power of transplantation.
</li>
<li>
The Waiting Game: What it's like growing up with severe cardiomyopathy and the reality of waiting years for the call.
</li>
<li>
The Emotional Reality: Navigating the profound gratitude for a donor's gift alongside the complex sadness attached to it.
</li>
<li>
The Simple Call to Action: Why 4 in 5 Australians support donation, but only 36% are registered&mdash;and how you can fix that in just one minute.
</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;ve ever thought about becoming a donor, this is the story that will inspire you to take action.

Weekdays from 3, The Hunter Today brings you the stories that matter, the music you love and the lifestyle that’s uniquely Newcastle and the Hunter.

Stay connected, stay informed and enjoy your afternoons on 2HD.

Weekdays from 3, The Hunter Today brings you the stories that matter, the music you love and the lifestyle that&rsquo;s uniquely Newcastle and the Hunter.
Stay connected, stay informed and enjoy your afternoons on 2HD.