At the age of 12, Mrs Rees was diagnosed with a heart murmur.
Despite this diagnosis she lived a normal childhood.
However, when she was 19 she discovered things were a little more complicated.
“I applied for a job in Alice Springs,” Mrs Rees said.
“As part of that I went for a medical. The doctor picked up the heart murmur and asked if I knew about it.
“I said I did. He then explained there were different kinds of heart murmurs.
“He uncovered that I had a congenital heart condition called a Bicuspid Aortic Valve.“
This occurs when the aortic valve develops with only two flaps that open and close, instead of three.
This condition may cause the aortic valve opening to become narrow or obstructed, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood into the body’s main artery.
Her heart condition was monitored for several years, however, over time, her heart had to work extra hard when going about everyday chores, leaving her increasingly breathless and tired.
At the age of 42 Mrs Rees urgently needed a heart valve transplant, which required her to have open-heart surgery.
She had what is known as The Ross procedure — a specialised procedure that replaced her diseased aortic valve with her own pulmonary valve. The heart valve from a deceased donor was then transplanted to replace her pulmonary valve.
This transplant would not have been possible without the gift from someone who made the decision to become a tissue donor.
“I often think of my donor, they do go through my mind,” Mrs Rees said.
“When people register to donate their organs and tissue, and their families honour their decision, (it) is such a kind and wonderful thing to do, at such an awful time.”
These days, Debbie spends as much time with her family as she can, especially her two grandchildren, and enjoys life on her hobby farm in Tarnook.
She is forever grateful to have been given such a gift and is encouraging everyone to get behind tissue donation.
“It all gets back to having that conversation with your family,” she said.
“Making sure they know you want to be a donor, and that you want to help others.”
You can register to become an organ and tissue donor in less than one minute at donatelife.gov.au or via the Express Plus Medicare App on your mobile phone.
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