Video: Claire Kavanagh speaks to Notts TV about her mother’s organ donations
The daughter of a woman who donated her organs at the Queen’s Medical Centre has spoken to Notts TV about how it’s helped transform the lives of others.
Claire Kavanagh’s mother, Marilyn, was 61 when she died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage in January 2015 and she chose to donate her kidneys, lungs, liver, heart valves and eyes.
Her organs have all been used, including the donation of her eyes helping two young girls to see again.
All of her organs had been used successfully
Speaking as part of Organ Donation Week, Claire said: “One of the girls who can now see is a baby and one was a toddler can now see because of my Mum’s eyes.
“All of her organs had been taken and used successfully.
“We also heard about a lady who is a grandmother and had two children that was recovering well from her new organ.”
Marilyn was a carer herself and had spoken to Claire about donating her organs after her death, but going through with it was not easy for Claire.
She said: “When you have that conversation, I think it could be so easy just to say no, I can’t do this.
“If I’d have said, ‘no, you can’t do it,’ it would have been for selfish reasons, not for the selfless act that my Mum wanted to do.
“People don’t want to talk about death, you don’t want to talk about losing your parents or your children, but this is massively important.”
She’s still helping people now
6,500 people are waiting for organ transplants nationally with 60 people in Nottinghamshire receiving a life changing transplant last year.
Claire said: “I’m super proud of what my Mum did, I really am.
“It’s just her – it’s what she was, it’s what she wanted to be and what she still is.
“She’s still helping people now and is still nursing people through whatever illnesses they are struggling with.”
