Harefield Hospital transplant patient Charles Michael Duke debuted his new lungs on BBC1 – by singing a spellbinding version of Ella Henderson’s Yours.
The 23-year-old, who has cystic fibrosis (CF), starred on This Is My Song, a two-part TV series that gives members of the public a chance to make a record of a song that’s special to them.
At the time of filming, Charles had just received a double lung transplant at Harefield after three years on the waiting list.
He learned to play the song Yours on his guitar while recovering in hospital. Charles wanted to record his own version to celebrate the moment he was given a new lease of life.
The Southampton-based singer and actor has always tried to live life to the full despite having CF. But he accepted that he needed a transplant after his lung collapsed while he was on stage performing in a Christmas show in 2014.
Charles said: “I was still recovering at the time of recording the song, but considering it was only 12 weeks post-transplant, I’m really happy with the way it turned out. And, it was more about marking the end of this journey for me than sounding like Beyoncé.”
He added: “Singing with my new lungs was amazing, I could reach the end of sentences and hit notes I couldn’t before.”
Charles continues to visit Harefield Hospital for regular check-ups. He commented: “I’ve met people who have had heart transplants over 30 years ago.
“It makes me think if these people have managed to keep going over three decades with a transplant, I should feel optimistic.”
"I’ve met people who have had heart transplants over 30 years ago. It makes me think if these people have managed to keep going over three decades with a transplant, I should feel optimistic."
