Amanda Saunders knew firsthand the difference exceptional cardiac care can make. After receiving a life-saving heart transplant at just 21 years old, she embraced her second chance with gratitude, determination and a desire to make a difference for others.
Originally from Grand Falls-Windsor, Amanda moved to St. John’s to attend Memorial University. Her journey with heart disease, however, began years earlier.
“My cardiac story is one for the books,” Amanda shared.
Living with an extremely rare form of muscular dystrophy that affected her heart, Amanda first became a cardiac patient at age 16. By 21, she had been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a serious condition that causes the heart to enlarge and become too weak to effectively pump blood.
During the summer of 2018, Amanda travelled frequently to the Health Sciences Centre for cardiac appointments as her care team worked to manage her deteriorating condition. She underwent numerous medication changes and eventually had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placed.
When her condition continued to worsen, Amanda became a patient of the Heart Failure Clinic. Before long, she was admitted to hospital and transferred to Ottawa for a transplant assessment.
“I was told on numerous occasions that a heart transplant was the only way for me to survive and to ever dream of having a future.”
In 2019, that future became possible when Amanda received a life-saving heart transplant.
A Second Chance
The impact was life-changing.
“Since my transplant, my world has drastically changed for the better,” Amanda said. “I have this energy that I have never experienced before. I feel physically stronger. It is amazing what a healthy heart can do.”
Even after her transplant, Amanda continued to receive regular cardiac follow-up in St. John’s and remained deeply grateful to the people who had cared for her throughout her journey.
“It’s always such a joy to see everyone who was part of my health care experience again in a more positive light. I owe everyone in the cardiac program at the Health Sciences Centre for everything they have done for me since 2018. You are all superheroes.”
Amanda also understood the importance of donor support in helping cardiac teams access the equipment, technology and training needed to provide exceptional care.
“It is crucial to keep supporting our local cardiac program,” she said. “It is so important that doctors, nurses and other staff have the most up-to-date training and equipment available so they can continue to provide the best care possible for patients and caregivers. Your support does make a profound impact, and I know that first-hand.”
Amanda wanted others to understand something else about cardiac disease: it can affect anyone.
“Heart disease does not discriminate. You can be any age when heart disease comes knocking at your door. I never thought by 21 I would need a new heart, but here we are!”
A Legacy That Lives On
Amanda passed away at the Health Sciences Centre on September 28, 2024, at just 27 years old.
Her life, however, was about so much more than heart disease.
Amanda earned two degrees from Memorial University: a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2021 and a Bachelor of Social Work in 2024. She volunteered with CNIB and the Canadian Cancer Society, served on the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor’s Committee for Accessibility, and proudly supported Row4Heart fundraising efforts.
She was known for her compassion, humour and wisdom beyond her years. She loved her family and friends, adored her puppy Echo, and was rarely without a book in her hand.
Today, those who loved Amanda continue to honour her through Row4Amanda as part of Row4Heart.
They row in memory of a beloved daughter, niece, cousin and friend whose heart told an extraordinary story of strength, resilience and second chances. They row for Amanda, for people living with heart disease today, for those awaiting their own second chance, and for the cardiac teams who dedicate their lives to caring for them.
Amanda once spoke about what donor support had meant to her own journey:
“Your support does make a profound impact, and I know that first-hand.”
Her words continue to resonate today. Through the Health Care Foundation’s Row4Heart and the generosity of donors, Amanda’s legacy lives on, helping strengthen cardiac care and giving more patients and families hope for the future.
Your gift gives hearts a fighting chance.
