Cyclist 'died eight times' before getting a new heart

Wollongong cyclist Cameron Butcher, aged 24, received a heart transplant due to chronic fatigue and an abnormally low heart rate. Following the surgery, he won a cycle section of a triathlon and will compete in the Australian Transplant Games in Launceston from September 26 to October 3. Butcher has earned the nickname "nine lives" after experiencing eight instances where his pacemaker saved his life, including being 22 when it shocked his heart back into rhythm while he was unconscious after picking up a frisbee.

After a week of heart failure, he was put on the transplant list and received a new heart less than a week later. Two years after the transplant, the 26-year-old elite cyclist is in the best shape of his life and competing in the Australian Transplant Games. Initially misdiagnosed with poor liver function, Butcher was later diagnosed with heart failure, which prompted the transplant.

Less than five weeks after the surgery, he returned to cycling, improving his fitness significantly. Within six months, he won a mixed relay section of the 2025 Peoplecare Triathlon and placed second at the 2025 Road Nationals in the transplant category. The biennial Transplant Games celebrate the lives saved through organ transplants and bring transplant recipients together in a sporting event. Butcher will compete in cycling, tennis, swimming, and six-a-side soccer during the games.