Year 6 at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Newton Aycliffe enjoyed an unforgettable and inspiring visit from the renowned Dr Bryce, a leading cardio-thoracic surgeon who specialises in heart transplants. The workshop gave pupils a rare insight into the world of life‑saving surgery and the incredible science behind transplant medicine.

Learning About Heart Transplants From an Expert

The children were captivated as Dr Bryce explained the vital role he plays in saving lives and how complex and extraordinary a heart transplant truly is. He talked the class through:

  • What happens during a heart transplant
  • Why some patients need a new heart
  • How medical teams keep patients safe before, during and after surgery

The session brought real‑world science into the classroom and helped pupils understand the importance of medical advances in modern healthcare.

Exploring Cutting‑Edge Research

Dr Bryce also shared some of the latest breakthroughs in heart‑transplant research, including the use of pig hearts as possible replacements for human hearts. Year 6 were amazed to learn how science and technology continue to evolve, offering hope to even more patients in the future.

Curious Minds and Fantastic Questions

At the end of the workshop, pupils were invited to write down any questions they still had — whether about Dr Bryce’s job, what it’s like to perform heart surgery, or the future possibilities of pig‑heart transplants. Their thoughtful, challenging and highly inquisitive questions kept Dr Bryce on his toes throughout!

A Perfect Link to Their New Class Text

Following this inspiring session, Mr Carter returned to class to introduce their brand‑new text for the term: Pig Heart Boy. The children were immediately hooked and excited to dive into a story so closely connected to everything they had just explored with Dr Bryce.

This was a truly memorable day of science, curiosity and real‑life learning for our Year 6 pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Newton Aycliffe.
A huge thank you to Dr Bryce for sharing his expertise and inspiring our future scientists, doctors and innovators!