ECMO To Ironman: Elmar Sprink's Story about Life After Heart Transplant

What does it take to learn to sit again, then stand, then chase the horizon at the Ironman World Championship? We sit down with endurance athlete and keynote speaker Elmar Sprink to trace the steps from sudden cardiac arrest and seven months on ECMO to a disciplined, data‑driven comeback fueled by routine, empathy, and stubborn hope. Elmar opens up about the invisible work of recovery—why he treated hospital life like a training plan, how a visitor spreadsheet kept his spirits up, and the role therapy and humor played when the outcome was uncertain.

We unpack the nuts and bolts of training after a heart transplant: threshold testing to set safe zones, the difference denervated hearts can make to heart rate response, and why indoor cycling and carefully staged swim returns protect against infection while rebuilding fitness. Elmar explains how steady training lowered his blood pressure and reduced medications, and he shares the small, daily wins—like a perfect cappuccino—that kept his motivation alive. Along the way, he reflects on gratitude for his unknown donor and the ritual of honoring that gift at every finish line.

Anna also spotlights creative sparks and community momentum: new children’s stories in the Living with CHD series that portray everyday family life with honesty, plus highlights from the SV-ONE conference where scientists, clinicians, and advocates collaborate for single ventricle care. We share upcoming inclusion goals, from an ASL episode to a new German episode featuring Elmar, and we talk candidly about organ donation advocacy—what messaging moves people, and how real stories can shift culture and save lives.

If you’re navigating CHD, recovery, or any long road back, this conversation offers a clear playbook: start small, be consistent, protect your body, lean on your people, and celebrate the quiet victories. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—we’d love to hear what small win you’re chasing this week.

Chapters

• 0:00 From Arrest to Ironman
• 2:14 Anna's Story and Season Reflections
• 5:29 Creativity, Crocheting, And New Books
• 6:43 SV-ONE Conference And Inclusion Plans
• 7:46 Patron Thanks And Disclaimers
• 9:53 Meet Elmar Sprink
• 12:26 Collapse, Diagnosis, And Transplant Path
• 15:42 Learning To Move Again
• 18:21 Training Safely Post-Transplant
• 20:26 Medications And Health Management
• 24:05 Mindset, Routine, And Resilience
• 28:18 Purpose And Organ Donation Advocacy
• 31:09 Gratitude, Perspective, And Small Joys
• 33:14 Goals: Qualifying For Kona
• 38:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Transcript

Elmar Sprink: [00:00:00] Even it was really bad with two or three cardiac arrest with seven months in bed, and then two years later, I finished the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. This is possible.

Anna Jaworski: Welcome to Heart to Heart with Anna. I am Anna Jaworski and a heart mom to hope my 31-year-old amazing daughter. Before we dive into today's powerful interview, I want to take a few minutes to share what's been happening behind the scenes and to reflect a little on how this season has been shaping up.

The last couple of months have been full of transitions, some expected and some not, but all meaningful. October didn't go exactly as I planned. I had hoped to release two brand new episodes, but sometimes life rearranges our schedules for reasons we don't see until later. Still, it was a full month. I released a great new [00:01:00] episode, hosted our live show for patrons and volunteers, and held our community Zoom Show for anyone who wanted to join. Those gatherings always remind me why this work really matters. The October live show turned out to be very small, just my husband Frank, Michael Liben, and me, and it ended up being one of the best conversations we've ever had. We talked about transition and life stages, especially how aging changes the way we see ourselves and our purpose.

It reminded me that transitions can be uncomfortable but also transformative. It was also interesting to see how the two men viewed their most difficult transitions versus how I viewed my most difficult transition. I always enjoy talking to thoughtful men who aren't afraid to articulate their feelings.

I think that's why I so enjoy talking with today's guest, Elmar Sprink. [00:02:00] His story is inspiring. He wasn't afraid to talk about some of the difficult times, and his transformation made me feel like I need to be doing more exercise. After all, if Elmar could do what he's done after receiving a heart transplant and being on ECMO. Hmm. Makes me think I maybe need to get out and do some more exercise.

But Frank and I did take a short trip to New York just recently to attend a football game at Ithaca College to watch our friend, Tian Ming Murray. This time, I left my laptop at home on purpose and I brought my crocheting instead. I finished another Granny elephant for my upcoming Kickstarter.

These elephants always make me smile because they've become little mascots for me, and I've had so much fun posing them in different places I've visited. [00:03:00] Of course, in true Legolas fashion, my furry assistant decided to get involved behind the scenes. While I was in New York, he was in Texas, and he found a crochet hook I used to make the baby elephants. Somehow it had fallen on the floor and he chewed the ergonomic handle beyond repair. At first, I was frustrated, but later I laughed because it felt like such a perfect metaphor for life and creativity. You plan to make something beautiful and then life takes a bite out of it, but I just find I have to keep creating anyway.

While working on the elephants, I realized something. Even though I've spent the past two decades creating in other ways building Hearts Unite the Globe, launching podcasts, mentoring others, I had not written a children's book in over 20 years. My very [00:04:00] first, My Brother Needs an Operation, came out when Hope was still little.

Since then, I've carried dozens of story ideas with me, but never had the quiet space to bring them to life. That changed this year. Suddenly the stories I've been carrying started to pour out of me. I wrote, You Were Always Loved in Colorado during a planned visit to see my granddaughter, Rowan. It's a deeply personal story born out of therapy and healing. I also wrote a story earlier this year for a Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators picture book contest. But I didn't win and it fell by the wayside. However, something else popped up that got me thinking about that book again. I took it out, looked at it, and somehow it grew into a much larger vision, a series of books called Living With CHD.

These new stories don't focus on scars or on bravery. They're [00:05:00] snapshots of everyday life in a family touched by congenital heart disease, hospital visits, overcoming adversity, friendships, moments of humor and love. They show children and parents simply living with CHD as part of their world. That's always been my goal-- to tell the truth of these experiences with warmth and honesty without turning them into either tragedy or heroism.

Now, onto the news...

October also brought something incredibly inspiring. I traveled to Indianapolis to attend the SV-ONE conference, an extraordinary gathering of scientists, clinicians, and advocates working together to advance care for people with congenital heart disease and their families.

There will be a spring virtual SV-ONE session on May 20th, 2026, so mark your [00:06:00] calendars. I filled a tablet with pages of notes, not just about the science or the research, but about the collaboration. Everyone there shared the same goal: to make life better for single ventricle families.

I also came home with renewed excitement about inclusion. One of our goals in 2026 is to produce our first ever episode in American Sign Language and Heart to Heart with Anna is planning another German episode soon with our guest host, Judy Aldefer, and the guest you're about to listen to today in English Elmar Sprink.

This will be my second episode in German and I can't wait to bring those voices to the network. Before we move on to Elmar's interview, I want to take a moment to thank our patrons. Your monthly support keeps these programs going from production costs to the outreach that connects families all over the world. Paid patrons, keep an eye on your inbox for a special [00:07:00] email from me this week. I'll be sharing a private YouTube link with some behind the scenes clips from my conversation with Elmar. A few candid moments just for you. It's our way of saying thank you for being part of this journey.

And if you'd like to join our Patreon family, you can learn more at HeartsUnitetheglobe.org. Every contribution, big or small, helps us reach more listeners who need to hear that they are not alone.

HUG Disclaime: This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The opinions expressed in the podcast are not those of heart unite the globe, but of the hosts and guests, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to congenital heart disease or bereavement.

Anna Jaworski: Today, I'm so excited to have Elmar Sprink in the house. Elmar Sprink was born in Salzkotten, Germany, and he's a passionate endurance athlete and motivational keynote speaker whose [00:08:00] journey from cardiac arrest to a world-class competition defies all odds. In July, 2010, one week after withdrawing from his seventh Ironman, Elmar suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

After months in the hospital, including life support and the installation of heart pumps, he received a heart transplant in June, 2012. Just months later, he was walking, cycling, and even snowboarding again. Since then, Elmar has completed over 150 endurance events, including 12 full Ironmans, the Ironman World competition in Hawaii, and grueling races like Cape Epic and the Trans Alpine Run, his story is one of resilience, transformation, and unwavering spirit. As a global transplant advocate, Omar inspires [00:09:00] others to overcome setbacks and pursue a healthy, active life. His mission is simple, stay fit, live fully, and show what's possible with a second chance.

Welcome to Heart To Heart with Anna, Elmar. 

Elmar Sprink: Thank you for having me. 

Anna Jaworski: I'm so happy to be talking to you. My friend Tracy was so excited to introduce you to me. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah, great. I think we get connected over Facebook 

Anna Jaworski: We did. We did. I'm percent 

Elmar Sprink: Sure. Yeah. Yes. 

Anna Jaworski: Yes, we did. Yes. She was so excited to introduce me to you.

She said, oh my goodness, you have to have this man on your podcast. And I was so happy when you said yes. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah, no problem. So happy to talk a bit about my story. 

Anna Jaworski: Good, because it's just completely amazing. Looking back to 2010, did you ever imagine that you would return to racing, let [00:10:00] alone compete in world championships after suffering a cardiac arrest?

Elmar Sprink: Directly after the cardiac arrest no one did know why I got the cardiac arrest. So in the beginning they did a lot of checkups in the hospital, like the heart ca and everything. Then yeah, they sent me back home and the heart function got almost back to normal.

And at that moment I thought maybe I could go back to triathlon and back to running, swimming and to all the other things I did before. But after half a year I got problems again, and then they installed the ICD and I still trained a bit, but it didn't feel like before.

 Then in the end, you already mentioned that I got a heart transplant almost after two years after the cardiac arrest. Directly after the transplant, I was not to be honest, not really thinking [00:11:00] about doing an IRONMAN again or like a cycle or tray running event.

Anna Jaworski: I'm sure you were really hurting after that transplant. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah because I was seven months bed rest, they put me on different machines, like on the ECMO, which is. Oh, 

Anna Jaworski: it's 

Elmar Sprink: pretty much like a small heart lung machine.

So I had tubes inside. Yeah. So one tube in my left leg and then in my upper body. So if I move my left leg, I got conscious. It was like a hard time being in the hospital, but it was a hard time getting back. I will talk a bit about that later. But I think it was almost one and a half years after the transplantation then maybe I believe that I could go do an Ironman again.

So that was Wow. A little bit more than a year after the transplant. Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: I totally believe that because my daughter has not had a transplant yet, but she had major open heart surgery and it even included an ablation [00:12:00] when she was in her teens.

She told me that after over a year, she felt better than she felt before she had that open heart surgery. But for a year, no, she wasn't feeling too great. It takes a body a while to recover from major trauma and having a transplant is actually major trauma. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. That's maybe one of the biggest surgeries you can do it's still not real for me because I was lying there without my own heart inside.

That's yeah. Yeah. For a few hours. That's crazy surgery. Yeah. 100%. 

Anna Jaworski: It really is. What was the most physically or mentally challenging part of your recovery after the transplant? 

Elmar Sprink: I think I have to say mentally it was harder before the transplant than after the transplant.

Really? Because at the time, yeah, because at the time the doctors didn't know what was wrong with me, and they still never really 100% figured out why I needed the [00:13:00] new heart. It was not a virus. It was not a heart attack. No stroke, no genetic defect. So it was hard because it was all the setbacks because I was released after the hospital and then in the hospital again after the cardiac arrest.

Then I went back to work and then got problems again. And then I did the rehab and the rehabs. I said, I can't go back to work anymore. I was end of thirties, so I was not 40 years old. Oh. And this mentally makes something because then in the end I was too fit for a heart transplant, but I was not fit enough to walk around the house anymore.

This was mentally the hardest time in my life. And then it was mentally easier. It's crazy to say that, but when I was in the transplant center, it was clear I need a new heart, otherwise I'm not going out of the hospital anymore.

It's like black and white, it's like there's not really an option. Mentally it was easier. Even, it was a hard time because after I got a cardiac arrest again in the transplant center, I was on this [00:14:00] machines, which I couldn't stay on the machines forever, but it was clear on the machines.

I didn't feel too bad. I was still lying. I couldn't go to the restroom and I had to do everything in my bed. But still, I felt okay. I never felt like I have to die the next day I was aware that I couldn't live on the ECMO for another three month, but mentally that was hard.

Physically my body was just lying there after the transplant. But by the time I received the new heart, then it was hard to sit by my own. I was not able to sit. So I had to learn to sit, I had to learn to stand up.

I had to learn to walk. . It was hard that I had to stay the seven months in bed, but it was good for the recovery. It sounds a little bit crazy as well, but I came from zero to Ironman racing again. I started with easy cycling and then after half a year, I started, my first run was three times 500 [00:15:00] meter and then I add another 500 meter every week.

500 meter more, 500 meter more. after three and a half months, I did a 10 K run and so on. Then it started increasing. And then the heart function got even better. The more sport I was doing. The blood pressure went down and I needed less medication.

That was physically the hardest part, the half a year after the transplant. But then from there, it was just. Doing what I love the most. So doing sport. 

Anna Jaworski: Wow. That's just amazing to me. Within half a year, you're on the bike, you're running and you're increasing your distance a little bit more.

A little bit more. That's amazing to me. And it felt good. Yeah. I was 

Elmar Sprink: actually six weeks after the transplant. I was the first time on my bike. 

Anna Jaworski: Wow. Cycling. Yeah. That's just, cycling is really good because 

Elmar Sprink: you are not carrying your whole weight of your body.

It's the best thing to have your bike indoor. And [00:16:00] then do some stuff outdoor. But first I started cycling indoor, but it's very easy. You can just start with 40 vat and then the next time you do 50 and so on. So it's very good training.

Anna Jaworski: Now, when you do an iron man, don't you also have to do swimming? 

Elmar Sprink: Yes. Swimming, yeah. Yeah. But, the problem with swimming is after transplant, you are not allowed to swim inside because of bacteria . So what I did in February, it was like eight month after the transplant,

I flew to Spain which is located the coast of Africa, but it belongs to Spain. And then I went swimming outside because they are outside pools. So that was the first time I started swimming again. 

Anna Jaworski: Oh my goodness. Yeah. And then 

Elmar Sprink: After a year you can actually go to indoor pools

without having trouble. 

Anna Jaworski: Wow. That's amazing. So you just got on a plane, went to Spain and swam outdoors. Did you have somebody there with you? 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah [00:17:00] my wife was with me at that time. Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: Wow. That's just amazing to me. It sounds like you pushed yourself and pushed yourself harder and your body said, yes, I can do this.

I can do it. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Yeah. I think I was not really pushing really hard, but because of less muscles I had at that time. So I just really improved. In little steps. And that was a good thing, I think. 

Anna Jaworski: I think so too. You didn't wanna overdo it at the very beginning.

No. So how did you balance pushing yourself physically while also protecting yourself? Because like you said, you couldn't swim indoors because of the potential for bacteria or some kind of infection, which would be potentially fatal. 

Elmar Sprink: A lot of people ask me they want to do an Ironman, but the thing is, if you don't know your limits, you can't push to the limit. So the first thing I [00:18:00] did I think after seven, eight months, I went to a center where I do threshold test. So I did the test on the treat meal. On the ome. And then I knew these are my limits and ah, then I started with proper training.

So I had a coach and I got training plans and then never trained like a heart transplant athlete. in some cases it's a bit different because after a heart transplant they're cutting the nerves to the heart, right?

And in many cases they're not coming back. So in my case the doctor thing that the nerves grew back after one and a half years. So I have proper heart rate, like a resting heart rate, around 50 or below in the beginning, and then 180 or a little bit more maximum heart rate. So I just trained like a normal person.

It just took a bit longer to increase heart rate. That's the only thing which is different than before. 

Anna Jaworski: [00:19:00] Wow. I imagine since you have a transplant, that you have a lot of different medications, if I'm not mistaken. Yes.

Yes. I heard you say earlier that you were able to reduce some of your medications. Is that right? 

Elmar Sprink: The only medications I'm taking every 12 hours is immune suppression medication, otherwise you have rejection of the organ.

It doesn't matter if you have a heart or liver or kidney or lung. 

Anna Jaworski: It's like cyclosporine or something like that. 

Elmar Sprink: In my case, it's prograf and a study. Okay. That's, yeah, that's what I take and I take a minimum dose of that. And it's still not rejecting my heart.

In the beginning I had one rejection, but directly after the transplant. And then you get a lot of other stuff like something against a cholesterol and something against the blood pressure which went the really massively up. I never had high blood pressure before the transplant, but with the training I did, [00:20:00] I reduced all the medications beside of the immune suppression medication.

I'm only taking three pills in the morning and three in the evening, and I'm taking a lot of pills like Omega-3, vitamin D and vitamin B and so I'm taking more pills, which are good for my body than, which are bad for my body, I think at the moment.

Segment 3

Heart to heart with Anna is a presentation of Hearts Unite the Globe and is part of the Hug Podcast Network. Hearts Unite The Globe is a nonprofit organization devoted to providing resources to the congenital heart defect community, to uplift, empower, and enrich the lives of our community members. If you would like access to free resources

pertaining to the CHD community, please visit our website at www congenital heart defects.com for information about CHD, the hospitals that treat children with CHD summer camps for CHD survivors and much, much [00:21:00] more.

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You are listening to Heart to Heart with Anna. If you have a question or comment that you would like addressed on our show, please send an email to Anna Jaworski at Anna at Heart to heart with anna.com. That's Anna at heart to heart with anna.com. Now back to heart. To heart with [00:22:00] Anna.

Anna Jaworski: Elmar, what kept you mentally strong during that long hospital stay, especially since you were on ECMO? 

Elmar Sprink: Mentally, there are, three factors. The first is I saw it like my training a bit. So my goal was to get off the hospital life. That was the biggest goal.

And then I had my long-term goal and I had mid and short-term goals. Which really helped was that my father made like a Excel sheet and every day I had visitors. I think during COVID it was hard for waiting patients really hard to get through the time because they were not allowed to have any people visiting them.

So beside of one day there was like a traffic jam or something. Someone couldn't make it. But I had friends and family every day. Another point is I tried to be as friendly. Even I had bad days. I was so friendly to the people which taking care of [00:23:00] me, like the doctors, the nurses and everyone.

And I think it was more kind of family because they started making their lunch break in my room talking about their kids, talking about their problems. And that's what I always tell patients, even if it's bad to be in hospital, but no one is responsible for that from the staff which is treating you.

No one of the nurses did something wrong that I had to stay in that hospital bed. So it was not my fault. It was just, I don't know, it was bad luck, whatever. Yeah. So that's really important. Yeah. That was the key factor. And then they had a lady, she's was a psychologist.

She came once a week and then I talked to her about yeah, my thought and my fears and whatever. Yeah, that, actually had to get through that period the seven months of the Hospital stay.

Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: I love it that you decided I'm gonna stay [00:24:00] upbeat and I'm gonna be the guy everyone wants to have lunch with. I just love that. That's amazing. Yeah, but you're so right. It's not their fault that you were in a hospital and it wasn't really your fault that you were in a hospital. It just was No, because it's just something that happened.

'cause it's just, 

Elmar Sprink: yeah, because if you are the guy, everyone is afraid to go in the room because he is not friendly . Yeah I didn't want to be the one, and so I say to myself if I have to die, then I die with you more.

Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: I think having the right attitude makes all the difference in the world. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Having the right attitude is important for athletic training for having an exam in college or university or school or in the job.

It's always I think having the right attitude is important in many cases in your real life. That's what I'm talking about if I have talks or speeches. Sure. If I'm book by companies, I'm, yeah. I'm just, I was just in brackets. [00:25:00] I'm just telling the story and Yeah.

Then everyone sees what he can take home for his or her own life. 

Anna Jaworski: I love that. You've become a global symbol of resilience. What message do you hope to share with other transplant recipients? 

Elmar Sprink: The waiting period is hard. Sure. The waiting period, for a new kidney, because you are on lysis.

In Germany and because of, we haven't the best organ donation law, so it takes a long time to receive a kidney. For example, it takes eight years in average. Oh, 

Anna Jaworski: wow. It's, 

Elmar Sprink: yeah. It's really long. It's really long. And they're not changing anything. They always say they will change it and then the government is not doing it.

But that's a completely other story, but I think to, stay alive during the time. Even it's a hardest time in the life, it's worth it. So that's the key message through my [00:26:00] story. Even if It was really bad with two or three cardiac arrest with seven months in bed.

And then two years later I finished the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii This is possible. Yeah. With work. I think this is a very modern word, but in the end like some friends, if we are talking about this story I couldn't have stayed so long in bed.

I said, what else you could have done? Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: Yeah. You didn't have an option? 

Elmar Sprink: No, there was no option. There was like plugging out the ECMO and then someone is plugging in the ECMO again. So I was not able even to kill myself in the hospital bed. Oh my God. There was no option.

Yeah, it was just, you can stay there and all the times say, oh, I'm the guy. I have to stay here. Why not another one? And then that's what I told you before about being friendly to all the people around you. Even the situation sucks. But yeah, I think that I had 20% I was really not in a good shape, and I was maybe [00:27:00] mentally not in a good shape. But from the seven months, maybe one month was really bad. Sure. And six months were Okay, but I tried to make the best out of it. I had the day, which started in the morning, was a breakfast and was washing myself and other people washing me. Ah, 

Anna Jaworski: yes. So you had a But I had to drink 

Elmar Sprink: I had a routine. It is like a training plan. And now I have like training peaks, my coaches on Sunday, he is adding the trainings for the week.

And then I tried to make them green. And it is the same, in the morning I did this and then I did that and then lunch and then visit us and then evening and yeah. It's just 180 times the same. I'm just 

Anna Jaworski: so impressed that your dad created a spreadsheet for you, and you did have that routine.

I think sometimes having that routine. It provides a sense of normalcy in an [00:28:00] abnormal situation. Yeah. It's not normal to be in a hospital, but you made it normal for yourself. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. I tried because, if you're in jail and if you haven't killed someone, you are not there for your whole life.

But maybe the government caught you. Maybe you're in jail like for one year, then you, now you are getting out of the jail after 12 months. And if you do really good, maybe 10 months. But the problem is if you are waiting for a heart transplant, you don't know if it's coming and if you are still alive.

So that's a big difference. 

Anna Jaworski: Yeah, it is a big difference. Yeah. It's a huge difference. Yeah. So you decided to make the most of every day. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Yeah. I tried. I couldn't do a lot, but I was really happy about really small things in life. Really small things. I really love coffee, but I'm not talking about this black coffee, which you get in a meeting or I don't know, but I like a good coffee, like with steam milk, and [00:29:00] there was one nurse, and once a week, he went to the cafeteria and there was like a great coffee machine. And he bought me one of this cappuccino. 

Anna Jaworski: Aw. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah end off his work, he went to the cafeteria, he came back to my room, gave me the coffee, and that was a highlight. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. These are the small things which you are then really happy about . 

Anna Jaworski: I love that. And it is the small things that can make such a big difference. I love that story. Yeah. 

Elmar Sprink: But in normal life I think there are a lot of small things, most of 90% or 95% of the people didn't see. Just a week ago here. The weather is really sexy. We had no autumn. It directly was. Eight degree and it rains and it was foggy in the morning. Mm-hmm. I was like always complaining about I have to do a run now and I getting wet and then I had an appointment, I saw this guy sleeping on the street. 

Anna Jaworski: Oh 

Elmar Sprink: They have a problem. Yeah. Yeah. It was raining and they are with a sleeping [00:30:00] bag in the front of a supermarket. Yeah. This is a problem. Not if my calf is hurting from running or I'm afraid to go out for doing my exercise and then I can have a hot bus. Yeah. Or go to sauna. And then I see the small things really makes a difference.

Anna Jaworski: I love that.

You're absolutely right. It gives you a whole new perspective. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. 

Anna Jaworski: What do you see your role in raising awareness about organ donation and transplant to be? 

Elmar Sprink: In the beginning when I did Ironman, Kona and all that stuff and did the Cape Epic, I was a lot in television and in magazines . But I wanted to do that because I love exercising and I love having this challenge. But when I look back, I saw that if I could save one life by, maybe I convince people by seeing my story and they say, oh, this is a cool story.

I'm [00:31:00] filling out this organ donation pass or I register. I'm not a doctor. I didn't study medicine, so I can't save a life. If I can save one through the story, that would be awesome. Yeah. This is maybe the role in raising awareness of organ donation.

I was invited to the former health minister in Germany, and we talked about organ donation. But in the end 74% of the people on the street, if you ask about organ donations, I say, oh, that's cool. Yeah, let's do that. And then the law is that your relatives, if they say no then they don't take your organs.

If you go to Austria or to the Netherlands, or if you go to Spain, they have 40 organ donations out of 1 million. And in Germany we have 10, so it's four times higher in Spain.

Wow. Not everything is about better law, but it's about the system in the hospital. I think in Germany we always have [00:32:00] excuses why we don't change the law and we always struggle with our own problems.

But yeah other countries have that. I don't think that I can change the law, so at least I can do some advertising throughout this story , yeah, with all my sport 

Anna Jaworski: right? So even though you can't necessarily influence the lawmakers, what you're doing is more important because you're telling the public this is what can happen if you donate your loved one's organs, you can save a life.

Elmar Sprink: Yeah that's because I started marketing and I started one semester in the us It's a long time ago, but if you see it from the marketing perspective, sometimes it's crazy how bad the advertising for organ donation in Germany is. So it's better to have stories. Yeah? People like me. We had the world transplant games in Germany this year and Oh, and you could take all these stories.

Yeah , my stories may be crazy because I [00:33:00] was almost dead just on machines and then I did the world championship of the Ironman in Kona, but I think two third of all the people wouldn't be alive. If they would have the German law. This is a crazy number.

Oh, there were, it's crazy. There were like, 2,500 people and then over half of the people won't be there because of not getting an organ early enough. They could just tell all the stories, if you do marketing, put people on television put people on the soccer stadium in the mid break of the soccer game.

Let people tell the story. Yeah. Do it in the newspapers. This is very easy, huh. 

Anna Jaworski: I love it. And then absolutely. And then 

Elmar Sprink: The thing is, in Germany, most of the time there's one person is dying that another person can live again.

But the thing is. Most of the people, they're always talking about the death. I think this is a German problem. My mom died in March [00:34:00] and when we went to the church and then the priest, who was talking, he was always telling about, now she died and now she's dead. But she lived 83 years and had a nice life beside maybe the last years when she got dementia, but why? They're not talking about the funny stories about that.

She got two kids and the nice vacations we did . It's always like they see it from the other side. Yeah. This is the same in Organ Nation, they always see, oh, someone is not dying because someone needs a new heart because someone dies anyway because of an accident or whatever.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's not like the person 

Anna Jaworski: who's receiving the organ did something bad to somebody else. Something bad already happened to somebody else. Yeah. But now the organ recipient has a chance for life. So you're right. Once again, it just comes back again to that whole [00:35:00] perspective, that whole frame of mind and attitude that you have toward life.

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Yeah. A lot of people ask me that changed my life because. I think I'm the person I was before, but the story that I went through, this two really bad years that changed your life. But you as the same person after the heart transplant.

It makes nothing with you. But the story makes something with you , the heart, that's a muscle. And yeah. You have to see it like a muscle or , just a organ. Yeah. Yeah. I'm 100% thankful for the person who donated it.

I didn't know the person at all. I don't know if it's a male or female. So there's a law in Germany you don't know from which person the organ is. But yeah I'm happy in different situations when I finish a race, I always look in the sky and then think someone maybe sitting there looking down and seeing what I'm doing with his heart or her heart.

I [00:36:00] love that. Yeah, I 

Anna Jaworski: love that. Giving that recognition to your organ donor is really beautiful. You've done so much, you've done the Ironman, you've done all these competitions. Now, your public speaking, what goals or dreams are still left on your list?

Elmar Sprink: Yeah, if you look back and what do you want to read about yourself? That's what I always ask myself. my professor Mark Koski from Edmonton in Canada. He's doing a lot of research on my story. He always says that from all the tests and stuff, and there is the fittest, heart transplant on the planet.

Yeah. But that's lovely. Yeah. But I can't buy anything. Maybe I can buy something, getting some money off the talks. Yeah. But it's nice to read that, but it's better to read that maybe I'm the person who lived the longest with a donor heart. [00:37:00] Yeah. That would be something nice.

That's my goal. Living healthy, living long, maybe not needing a re-transplant or a transplant again. And my goal. From the, athletic side is I just started my training already for next year. Again, because I always tell people you need goals and you need dreams.

Yeah. In 2014, I was first heart transplant ever finished the race at Kona but I was not qualified. I got a wild card and next year I want, to try to qualify in another age group. That's a good thing on getting old. If you are triathlete or runner or a cyclist, if you're getting older, you're getting in a new age group.

Anna Jaworski: And then 

Elmar Sprink: You are the youngest in the new age group by the time you get in the new age group. 

So 

That's an advantage even if it's hard. I think it's possible. And yeah, it's a one last time really getting everything out of my body. Kona [00:38:00] is a next year female and male again.

Kona is next weekend, so I already invited some friends and make, making some food and then having a drink, and then yeah, watching the Ironman eight, nine hours. And I hope next year I didn't have to watch it from my sofa, so sitting in Kona the day before the race and then racing again.

So that's maybe my sportive dream. Yeah. To do that race again because I'll buy something special and I wanted feel it a second time and yeah, hope it's possible. 

Anna Jaworski: I love that. That's a great goal. And if anybody can do it, Elmar, I think you can do it. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Yeah.

I don't know, but at least I give it a try. Yeah, 

Anna Jaworski: absolutely. This has been absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for coming on the program today, Omar. 

Elmar Sprink: Yeah. Was a pleasure. And thanks for having me. 

Anna Jaworski: It was definitely a pleasure for me.

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Anna Jaworski: That's all for this episode of Heart to Heart [00:39:00] with Anna.

Listening to Elmar Sprink reminds me that gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's a practice. It's the way we choose to see our lives, even when the path is steep or unpredictable, even when it seems almost impossible, and you wonder if tomorrow's even going to come.

Elmar kept the faith. Elmar kept moving forward. He's such an inspiration to me, and I hope you found his story inspiring too. So as we move into this season of Thanksgiving, take a moment to celebrate your own resilience, your flexibility and the community that walks beside you. Whether you're recovering from surgery, creating something new, or simply finding small joys in the every day --like Elmar with his coffee-- remember my friends, [00:40:00] you are not alone.

Thank you again for joining us this week. We hope you have become inspired and empowered to become an advocate for the congenital heart community. Heart to heart with Anna, with your host, Anna Jaworski can be heard at any time wherever you get your podcasts. A new episode is released every Tuesday from noon Eastern time.