In December 2021, a 58-year-old British man living in the Balearic Islands was admitted to Son Espases Hospital in Palma. His condition was critical: bilateral pneumonia caused by coronavirus was rapidly impairing his lung function. Doctors decided to place the patient in a medically induced coma and connect him to a machine that temporarily replaces lung function, oxygenating the blood outside the body.
The man spent almost three months unconscious, completely dependent on advanced medical equipment. During this time, the ECMO machine (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) became his only chance for survival. After coming out of the coma and a long rehabilitation, he realized how crucial this technology is for saving lives.
Inspired by the support of doctors and loved ones, the former patient decided to make a difference for other critically ill patients. He launched a fundraising campaign to purchase another ECMO machine for Son Espases Hospital. Charitable organizations, including JoyRon Foundation, which helps children in the Balearic Islands, joined the initiative. Thanks to their combined efforts, they raised nearly 79,000 euros—the exact cost of a state-of-the-art device.
The hospital’s intensive care unit now has one more life-saving machine. This is especially important for patients with severe lung or heart failure, when standard treatments are no longer effective. The device will also help the youngest patients: doctors can now treat children with rare heart conditions without having to send them to other cities.
New opportunities to save lives
The story of the British patient inspired other islanders as well. One participant in the charity events shared that her son, who had a congenital heart defect, was saved by an ECMO device in Barcelona. She was surprised to learn that there were only four such machines in the Balearic Islands, and she supported the fundraising campaign. Thanks to these new capabilities, help will now be more accessible to everyone in urgent need.
A local medical research organization took responsibility for all coordination and transfer of the equipment. Such donations to public hospitals are rare, but they make it possible to introduce advanced technologies and expand the range of care that can be provided.
Although the former patient still faces the consequences of his illness—his lungs have not fully recovered—he continues to make music and considers himself a happy person. His story became an example of how personal struggle can lead to changes that matter to society as a whole.
With the arrival of the new ECMO device at Son Espases, doctors now have a better chance of saving patients in the most critical conditions. For many, this could be their only chance at survival.
