Meet our Volunteers: Terry Donovan

Often, one meets people, one walks past, says “G’day!”, perhaps have a brief yarn about… the weather. One doesn’t realise that the man with the generous smile before you has lived almost 30 years longer than originally expected. Come again?? Yes, Terry Donovan was just 50 years old, some 29 years ago, when he was the recipient of a heart transplant. No wonder, when asked what he is passionate about, he names that as the highlight of his life.

In his working life, Terry was a Sales Engineer, traveling to mining sites. He lives in Carrara with his wife Nook (yes, correct spelling!). These days, besides contributing to our efforts at the Project Shed (he is a master at restoring bicycles that can be resold), his ‘Theme of Life’ is simply to be happy: being with his wife, the family and grandchildren (grandson Nathan was named after his heart donor), playing golf, listening to Country and Western music, reading (Lee Childs is one of his favorite authors) and admiring visual art, such as his granddaughter Abbie’s paintings…  And, only sometimes, indulging in his biggest vice: eating the “wrong” food.

So, at 79 years of age, does he still have stuff on his bucket list? “Yes!”, Terry replied, “Getting the OBE!” Getting the Order of the British Empire? “No, getting over bloody eighthy…!”