Heart transplant survivor Ray Hartle chronicles journey in memoir

Ray Hartle grew up in Gelvandale, Gqeberha. He holds BJourn, honours and master’s degrees from Rhodes University in Makhanda. Hartle worked as a journalist from 1984 for publications such as Grocott’s Mail in Makhanda, and the Herald, Evening Post and Weekend Post in Gqeberha. In 1994, Hartle transitioned from journalism into corporate communications, returning to journalism with East London’s Daily Dispatch from 2013 to 2021. Following his heart transplant in 2016, he wrote extensively about healthcare and especially about heart transplantation. He is a fierce advocate of ethical decision-making by leaders in every sphere, of patient-centred healthcare, and for equity in the availability of heart transplant treatment in South Africa. Hartle lives in East London with his wife Belinda and cats Blossom, Daisy and Zuzu. He sat down with Charlie T to discuss his recently published book ‘Memoir of a Fractured Heart’.