Denied a transplant worldwide, 66-year-old finds new lungs in UAE

Abu Dhabi: A 66-year-old Guatemalan, with end-stage lung failure and dependent on oxygen 24 hours a day, found a new lease of life after a double lung transplant was performed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.
Oscar Romero Lopez Guillen, battling end-stage pulmonary fibrosis, arrived in Abu Dhabi after exhausting medical options across four continents – South Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the US.

A long struggle to breathe

Diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2016 in Guatemala after a prolonged cough, his condition progressively worsened over nearly a decade. In late 2024, the Cleveland Clinic global referral system connected him to CCAD.
Oscar, who now lives in the UAE for follow-up care, expressed his gratitude for the treatment that gave him a second chance.
“When I arrived at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, I felt like I had come to heaven on Earth. The level of care, the kindness of the nurses, the professionalism, it was something I had never experienced before.”

‘Attached to oxygen tank 24 hours a day’

Struggling with even the simplest physical tasks, he faced an uncertain future – until he discovered CCAD’s lung transplant programme. The life-saving procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team from the hospital's Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute and Integrated Hospital Institute.

“For years, I lived attached to an oxygen tank 24 hours a day. It wasn’t just physically exhausting; it was a constant reminder that I could stop breathing at any moment. It was frightening, isolating, and incredibly expensive. What amazed me most was how quickly everything happened.”

His global search ends in Abu Dhabi

Despite consultations in multiple countries and facing challenging issues like citizenship requirements and limited transplant capabilities and facilities, Oscar remained hopeful.

“Throughout my long journey, no other hospital could provide an organ in time, but within weeks of arriving here, I was already preparing for surgery. Today, I can breathe, walk, and live again. I thank God, and I thank the incredible team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi who made this miracle possible,” Oscar added.

Finding hope, second chance

Dr Georges-Pascal Haber, CEO at CCAD, noted that multi-organ transplant programme – one of the first in the region – is more than just advanced medical excellence.
“It’s about expertise, compassionate care, and the extraordinary impact of the UAE's Hayat organ donation programme. We are honoured to be a place where both local and international patients can find hope and a second chance.”

Restoring lung function and quality of life

Dr Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at CCAD, recollected how Oscar’s lungs were barely functioning when he arrived.

“Remarkably, he had endured such severe limitations for nearly a decade. After a thorough evaluation by our multidisciplinary lung transplant team, he was listed and underwent a double lung transplant a few weeks later. Today, just weeks after the surgery, Oscar has regained full function, with normal oxygen levels, excellent exercise capacity, and a normal quality of life.”

Matching donor organ found within weeks

Upon receiving Oscar’s medical records, CCAD’s multidisciplinary team, comprising of surgical lung transplant specialists and other critical care experts, immediately studied his case in detail. The family was enrolled in the lung transplant programme, and within weeks, they received the life-changing news that a matching donor organ had become available. Less than a week later, Oscar was admitted to the hospital and began preparations for his transplant.

He breathes on his own now

In early 2025, Oscar underwent a successful double lung transplant surgery. Just 10 days after his admission, Oscar was discharged, breathing on his own, and ready to begin the next chapter of his life.

Dr Andres Obeso, Staff Physician, Thoracic Surgery at CCAD, said: “Oscar arrived at our doors speaking a different language, from a different continent, but the language of healing and helping is human and universal. When we reviewed his case, we found severely impaired lung function, yet no other major comorbidities. That combination, along with his resilience, made him a strong candidate for transplant.”

Growing international demand

For patients like Oscar, the hospital’s dedicated International Patient Services team plays an essential role, seamlessly managing everything from travel and visa arrangements to accommodation and care coordination. The hospital recently reported a 35 per cent increase in international patient volume in 2024, with more than 10,000 international patient visits. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain, and the US are the top five countries from which international patients are traveling to Abu Dhabi in 2024.