He Biked 500 Km To Prove That There Is Life After A Transplant

Carlos Plácido, a native of Santa Marta de Portuzelo, in Viana do Castelo, received a lung transplant at the Local Health Unit (ULS) of São José - Hospital Santa Marta (HSM) and recently fulfilled his dream of completing a journey of almost 500 kilometers by bicycle from Viana do Castelo to Lisbon.

According to the National Health Service (SNS), Carlos “was accompanied by José Ferreira, also transplanted at HSM, and 15 other cyclists who joined the ‘Breathe Life: Cycling from Viana do Castelo to Lisbon’ initiative”.

The cyclists were greeted “with great emotion by family, friends and health professionals”, as well as the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo, and the president of the Board of Directors of ULS São José, Rosa Valente de Matos.

"Giving health is, above all, giving back quality of life. You can't get here without the work of professionals. Being a professional dedicated to transplantation involves many hours of work, many absences from personal lives, a great deal of dedication. That's why I applaud them so much,” said Ana Povo, quoted by the SNS.

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Rosa Valente de Matos said that “this journey by bicycle is a good demonstration of the ability of transplant patients to go about their normal lives, to have quality of life”.

It should be noted that Santa Marta Hospital is the only hospital that performs this surgical procedure in the country, having already carried out more than 400 lung transplants.