Heart Transplant Helps Soccer Executive Kick Off a New Season of Life

Soccer fever is reaching an all-time high in Kansas City, Missouri, as the region gears up to host six matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ this summer. It’s the culmination of years of cross-country collaboration between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, who were awarded the bid in 2018. But for one of the event’s key organizers, it represents a milestone he once worried he might not see.  

Dan Flynn of St. Louis, Missouri, was a lifelong athlete in excellent physical shape. In 2012, he was 57 years old and the CEO of the U.S. Soccer Federation, the sport’s governing body in the U.S., and in the early stages of planning North America’s World Cup bid. But he began to notice that his daily workouts were becoming more difficult. Exercises that once felt routine were now exhausting, leaving Dan with chest pain and shortness of breath.  

“I thought I was just getting older,” Dan says. “But something told me I should get myself checked out.”  

Dan made an appointment with his primary care provider, who referred him to a cardiologist for further testing.  

A rare diagnosis  

Physicians discovered Dan had cardiac amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by abnormal protein buildup in the body. In Dan’s case, a genetic mutation caused proteins that would normally be filtered through the kidneys to instead collect around his heart, slowly blocking its ability to function. Although there is no cure for cardiac amyloidosis, certain treatments may help manage the condition and delay symptoms of heart failure.  

By 2015, Dan had exhausted these treatment options, and his care team told him a heart transplant was his only path forward.  

“That was overwhelming to hear,” Dan says. “But my whole family is in health care, so we understood how serious it was and that we needed to make a clear plan.”

Dan’s three daughters, all health care professionals, jumped into action, organizing consultations with leading heart surgeons across the country. That’s where Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute came in. The Heart Institute is home to a specialized cardiac amyloidosis program that brings together a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, hematologists, and neurologists to diagnose and treat patients using the latest research and technology.  

A team of experts  

Andrew Kao, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiologist and heart failure specialist with Saint Luke's Cardiovascular Consultants. He is the medical director of heart transplantation at the Heart Institute, where he leads patients through the entire transplant process with expertise and compassion.  

“It is very important to treat every patient with an individualized treatment plan,” says Dr. Kao. “Transplant is not a ‘cookie-cutter’ process and in Dan's case, transplantation for amyloidosis was just becoming feasible and we assembled a team of experts to help him on his transplant journey.”

Dan’s condition put him in a unique position. Heart transplant patients are typically placed on artificial heart support devices while waiting for a transplant. However, these devices are not effective for patients with cardiac amyloidosis. Simply put: Dan needed a transplant as quickly as possible, and Dr. Kao was committed to helping him find a quality match.  

“From the moment I met Dr. Kao, I knew he was going to fight for me,” Dan says. “He was well-informed and made me feel like I was in good hands.”  

While waiting for a heart to become available, Dan’s transplant coordinators managed all his appointments, testing, and communication across multiple specialists to create what he described as a seamless experience during one of the most uncertain periods of his life.  

“You spend so much time with the coordinators—they become like a second family,” Dan says. “They walk you through everything and they’re rooting for you every step of the way.”

A new heart

In April 2016, Dan got the call: A donor heart was available in Kansas City. Within hours, he was in Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City for his transplant.  

Early the next morning, surgeons wheeled him into the operating room. About five hours later, Dan had a new heart.  

His recovery moved quickly. He spent two days in the intensive care unit before transferring to the transplant unit. By day nine, Dan was out of the hospital and walking regularly in the neighborhood around his temporary apartment.  

But nearly a decade later, there’s one moment that sticks with him.  

“I remember waking up and simply taking a deep breath,” he says. “And for the first time in years, it felt like a real, full breath.”  

A new beginning

Today at 71, Dan feels stronger and healthier than he did before this long journey began. His bloodwork shows that his new heart continues to function well, and he maintains a disciplined lifestyle that includes daily cardiovascular workouts, Pilates, stretching and balance work, and plenty of golf.  

“If people didn’t know I had a heart transplant, they’d never guess,” he says. “I feel like myself again: physically, emotionally, and socially.”

Now a Senior Executive Advisor for FIFA World Cup 2026™, Dan looks forward to enjoying this year’s competition—and hopefully sharing the experience with members of his Saint Luke’s care team. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and staying active in his community. He often thinks of the donor who made his new life possible, and he honors their gift the best way he knows how: by living to the fullest.  

“I’m beyond grateful,” Dan says. “I get to live a healthy life, and I’m making the most of it every day.”

About Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute 

Comprising nearly 100 board-certified experts in cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and critical care anesthesia, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute offers a comprehensive range of treatment options for advanced heart failure, structural intervention, preventive cardiology, electrophysiology, and heart and vascular surgery. Learn more about the Heart Institute.