Loyola transplant patient rings in new year with new heart

For Richard Suszek, the term “ringing in the new year” has taken on a new meaning. Suszek is headed home after spending his holiday hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), awaiting a heart transplant.  

Suszek was diagnosed with heart failure 12 years ago. For the past three years, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that can be implanted to help a weak heart circulate blood, has been helping his heart function.

Loyola team honored to be part of patient’s support network after heart transplant

During his time at the hospital, Suszek became close to the transplant team and everyone involved in his care. “From the very beginning, they treated me like a king. They’re so nice—simply nice,” said Suszek. “I can’t say one bad thing about anyone.”

Susek received a heart transplant on December 20. “I really feel blessed, because this is not only an extension of my life, but this is changing the quality of my life,” said Suszek. “I wanted my grandkids to remember me because they’re so little now, and in a few years, they may not have remembered me, but now they can have grandpa around for longer.”

Suszek will be very well remembered by more than just his grandkids, but also his Loyola family. His support system is vast, both inside and outside the hospital, with family visiting every day and nurses coming in on their days off to say goodbye. 

Heart transplant patient is first to ring new, donated gong, to celebrate major health milestone

Earlier today, Suszek became the first heart transplant recipient to ring LUMC’s new transplant gong. He was joined by his wife and many staff members, cheering him on and celebrating his journey. 

“Bells have long been used in hospitals to celebrate the end of the patient’s cancer treatment,” said Jeffrey P. Schwartz, MD, chair of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Loyola Medicine. “We wanted our transplant patients to have a similar celebration. This gong will help these patients celebrate a major milestone in their recovery.”

The gong is a new addition to the Chris and Neil Blitstein Rehabilitation Track which was funded by a generous donation from the Blitstein family in 2024. Blitstein, who died earlier this year, received a lung transplant in 2017. His family wanted to recognize the exceptional care he received and inspire other transplant recipients by giving them a cheerful place to track their progress toward their rehabilitation goals.  

Now, thanks to an additional donation, the gong represents a finish line to encourage transplant recipients to keep pushing. “We hope that seeing the gong during their physical therapy will help them visualize this major milestone in their health journeys,” said Chris Cordin Blitstein. 

“I feel stronger every day, and I’m excited to go home, see my family and be self-sufficient,” said Suszek.