St. Paul’s Hospital gifts a new heart to Santa in time for Christmas

The man known for giving gifts and making children’s wishes come true, received his own life-saving gift this year. Miranda Fatur has more on a mall Santa who underwent a heart transplant surgery.

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VANCOUVER (CityNews) — The world’s ultimate gift-giver, Santa Claus, received an extraordinary gift himself from St. Paul’s Hospital this past year – a new heart.

For the past 15 years, Langley’s Chris Pedlar and his wife Nancy Bean have worked as Santa and Mrs. Claus in Richmond and Coquitlam malls.

But in 2019, Pedlar found out he had congestive heart failure – meaning his heart was only operating at 20 per cent capacity.

“It started about two years ago, I was having trouble breathing, and they did tests and discovered it was my heart giving me problems,” he tells CityNews.

But that didn’t stop Pedlar from spreading holiday cheer.

While waiting for a heart transplant, Pedlar had a ventricular assist device surgery, which is a mechanical heart pump that was implanted into his failing organ.

By January 2020, a heart was ready for Santa Claus.

His surgery was one of 29 adult heart transplants that surgeons performed at St. Paul’s hospital in 2020 – making it a record year.

“St. Paul’s did a wonderful job with me and with all the other transplants they’ve had,” he says.

Aside from getting a new heart, Christmas this year is looking more different than ever for jolly old St. Nick.

In the middle of a global pandemic, Santa Claus is listening to children’s wish lists remotely.

“We’ve been able to reassure them there’s no outbreaks at the North Pole and Dr. [Bonnie] Henry says we can still deliver presents to boys and girls.”

But the virtual holiday isn’t stopping Santa Claus from wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

“There really is a Santa, and you have to believe in the magic of Christmas,” he says.

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