Selfless Gift of a New Heart Powers Cycling Champion’s Comeback

Competing in global cycling tournaments at age 64 is impressive. Doing so after a heart transplant? That’s extraordinary. But that’s exactly what Neal Stansbury, MD, is doing.

He recently placed fifth in his age group at the USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships in Milwaukee, the latest of many accomplishments in his long and impressive cycling career. In a moving gesture, race winner Chris Carlson handed Dr. Stansbury his champion’s jersey, telling the crowd that Dr. Stansbury’s journey had inspired him deeply.

“When I received the heart in 2018, I was told there was no way I’d ever race bikes again,” Dr. Stansbury says, “but I set out to prove them wrong.”

Those in attendance in Milwaukee were left stunned by Dr. Stansbury’s story, which has been shared on local news and on social media. Now his long-time racing competitors are also sharing his story.

“Through many years as fellow racers Chris and I have gotten to know one another,” Dr. Stansbury says. “He knew my back story and it was a really neat moment to get to share with him.”

Before his heart issues, Dr. Stansbury was the picture of health – an elite athlete who nearly turned pro in cycling before choosing orthopedic surgery. So, when he started having heart problems, it came as a surprise. Things became so bad at one point that he got his affairs in order and said goodbyes to his wife and daughters.

He was placed on the donor transplant list, and then, miraculously, the call came: a heart was available. That moment marked the beginning of his incredible comeback. The donation was anonymous, but Dr. Stansbury says he feels immense gratitude for his donor every single day.

“I know the family of my donor is grieving and I like to live as if my donor is watching over me,” he said. “I’m grateful every day to have this second chance and I’m going to make the most of it.”

The fact that Dr. Stansbury is also an accomplished orthopedic surgeon with LVPG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine helped in his long recovery after the transplant. He says there’s no playbook for a situation like his, so he relied heavily on his own medical training to recondition himself.

Unlike a typical recovery, a transplanted heart doesn’t reconnect with the body’s nerves, meaning Dr. Stansbury had to relearn how to train and race – without the usual feedback from his body.

“I’m also on medications so I train and race differently than my competition. It’s been a fun experiment learning  what I can do to condition myself to win races,” Dr. Stansbury says.

Dr. Stansbury has also been seeking others like him, who have had a heart transplant and are still competing. Through the racing circuit he has found a few others including a man from Illinois who had a heart transplant about a year and a half ago.

There are also competitions specifically for people who have had a transplant, like the World Transplant Games. Two years ago, Dr. Stansbury competed and dethroned an Italian racer who had a liver transplant and had swept the race for the previous five years.

In addition to continuing to cycle and inspire others, Dr. Stansbury gives back every day helping people, including athletes, recover from sore knees, bum shoulders, athletic injuries and more. Two of his daughters now also work in medicine and he serves as the team doctor at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center (Velodrome) in Trexlertown, Pa.

The gift of life Dr. Stansbury received is a gift that benefits so many more than just him – his family, his patients and everyone who knows him has benefitted from this selfless gift.