‘I’m just trying to get the body to catch up to the new heart’: Transplant recipient’s amazing recovery

Joshua Lindenthaler is alive and riding today thanks to the acts of two courageous people.

One is his mum who saved his life by performing CPR on her son for 15 minutes while waiting for the ambulance to arrive after his heart stopped.

The other is the organ donor whose heart Joshua received in a transplant about 18 months ago.

It’s been an incredible recovery for the 39-year-old from Canberra who was back on the bike just three months after his transplant operation and is now gearing up for the World Transplant Games.

A keen road cyclist and mountain biker, Joshua had to stop riding due to his heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, which he had been diagnosed with in 2008.

The condition makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body and over the years his heart began to deteriorate. In 2016 a defibrillator was implanted in his heart and as his condition became worst, he also received a pacemaker.

He suffered from blackouts and exercise became increasingly more challenging.

The active and fit sports scientist and physiotherapist who once competed in criterium races and 24hr mountain bike events decided to park the bikes.

“My heart got to a point where it deteriorated with bad heart rhythms,” Joshua said.

“I had cut back on riding for fear of getting shocked while riding.

“I had an episode at a crit here at Stromlo. I was coming down hill and wasn’t feeling right, pulled over and held onto a railing. Next thing I blacked out and when I woke up everyone was standing around me.

“My exercise deteriorated over time. In 2021 I was short of breath walking up and down stairs,” he recalled.

By July 2021 Joshua had gone on the transplant list and just a few months later in September he suffered a major ‘electrical storm’ in his heart.

“It’s where the heart goes into ventricular fibrillation, a really bad heart rhythm and not pumping blood. I have no recollection of that day,” he recalled.

“The defibrillator and pacemaker were unable to stop the electrical storm. I was in Canberra hospital for about a week before I was transferred to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. They were concerned I’d go into another electrical storm.”

About two weeks later, a suitable heart became available. He was prepped for surgery, went under the knife and a few days later he was up and about walking.

“With a heart transplant there is poor recovery, average recovery and amazing recovery and I’ve been on the amazing side of recovery,” he said.

“With dilated cardiomyopathy I was still able to do things. I was as fit as my heart would allow me to be, which may have helped (with the transplant).

“The donor match I’m assuming is also really good. It’s got to be matched well in size and blood type, and antibodies need to match too.”

And as soon as he could, he was back on the bike. It’s been a gradual process, gradually building back fitness, and adjusting to life as a heart transplant recipient.

“In terms of recovery it’s always been a challenge. I get tired after workouts and with reduced immunity I have to watch I don’t overtrain,” he said.

But by August 2022 he raced in the AusCycling Marathon National Championships winning the Adaptive category in Wagga Wagga then in February this year he was at Thredbo competing in the AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships where he placed second in the Adaptive cross-country category.

Joshua Lindenthaler placed 2nd in the cross country adaptive category at the AusCycling MTB National Championships. 

He is back competing at local crits and is seeing some positive progress on Stromlo local loops, cutting down his times by about half since having the transplant.

“Fitness-wise I’m still 60 watts off my best,” Joshua said.

“I’m just trying to get the body to catch up to the new heart.”

His next big event is the World Transplant Games in Perth next month where he will be competing in the 30km road race and 10km Individual Time Trial.

Come May he is also planning to line up once again at the AusCycling Marathon National Championships in Wagga Wagga.

Photos: Matt Rousu