Heart transplant recipient shares story

Published 3:33 pm Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Steven Hood stopped by Cornerstone Presbyterian Church Tuesday afternoon to share his story with Cornerstone’s Women of the Church.

Hood underwent a heart transplant last November and was asked to share the story of his procedure.

Jackie Woodfin, one of the leaders of Cornerstone’s Women of the Church, is a friend of Hood’s and asked him to share.

Email newsletter signup

“She said, ‘Would you come?’ And I said, ‘I would be honored,’” Hood said.

Hood stated that this was his first time sharing his testimony with such a large group.

The reason Hood came to need a heart transplant in the first place began 15 years ago,

when Hood was diagnosed with Stage 4 B cancer.

“Basically, everything in my body from my belly button up had cancer,” said Hood. “Doctor’s later told me I had a less than a 10 percent chance.”
Hood said through the Lord’s intervention and a great physician he’s been able to battle the cancer.

In 2016 another sharp left turn came up in Hood’s life – he had a massive heart attack.

Because of the years of chemotherapy, Hood’s heart function was unable to fully recover.

UAB Hospital tried to outfit Hood with a defibrillator, but it was unsuccessful, so he received a left ventricular assist device  (LVAD).

According to Hood, the left side of his heart had “died” during his heart attack and the LVAD was needed to work is heart.

“It was doing all the work,” said Hood. “I was a battery pack.”

After “running on batteries” for about six months a fever once again put Hood in the hospital.

One day while lying in his hospital bed, a doctor walked in and said that the opportunity for a heart transplant had come up.

“Immediately I went from the joy of having a new heart to the realization something bad happened,” said Hood.

The doctor’s announcement came three days before Thanksgiving.

“I may have gotten a heart,” said Hood. “But someone had a really bad Thanksgiving.”

Since his transplant, Hood has had no setbacks, a fact he attributes to God’s guidance.

In sharing his story Hood want’s others to realize the power of God’s guidance as well.

“It’s all been because of the guidance of my savior, Jesus Christ,” he said. “God has had a plan. God has carried me. Every one of us has a mission in life. God’s trying to use us all. Don’t let that go by you. You’re making an impact in this world, make a positive one.”