Norway’s crown princess Mette-Marit could receive Finnish lungs if needed, says Helsinki hospital

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit could theoretically receive a lung transplant from Finland if a suitable donor is available, according to Jussi Tikkanen, head physician at Helsinki University Hospital’s (HUS) Heart and Lung Center.

Finland performs around 20 lung transplants annually, though demand nearly doubles that number. The country collaborates with other Nordic nations, exchanging organs in emergencies when no local recipient matches a donor.

Mette-Marit, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, has seen her condition deteriorate in recent days, prompting her placement on the transplant waiting list in Norway. Tikkanen confirmed that while Finland’s current supply cannot meet all domestic needs, cross-border cooperation remains an option.

“If a country has no matching recipient for a viable donor lung, it is first offered to other Scandinavian nations,” Tikkanen said, noting about 45 such exchanges have occurred this decade—23 received by Finland, 22 sent abroad.

Expansion of donor criteria—including lungs from donors declared dead by cardiac, not just brain, death standards—is expected to increase availability in coming years. Currently, Finland restricts transplants to patients under 70 due to limited donor organs; survival rates drop sharply for older recipients.

Post-transplant, patients typically spend three weeks in hospital, with full recovery taking six to 12 months. Finnish outcomes rank among the best globally, with half of recipients surviving 13 years—nearly double the international median.