Life Stories

Charlotte’s New Beginning

21 November 2016

At 17 years old, my life was coming to a close having been told that, without a life-saving double lung transplant, I would die. The feelings I felt towards this were indescribable. I couldn’t do the simplest of tasks and was relying on my family to help me with everything. I was on oxygen 24 hours a day and needed to use a wheelchair when I went out.

At 17 years old, my life was coming to a close having been told that, without a life-saving double lung transplant, I would die.  The feelings I felt towards this were indescribable.  I couldn’t do the simplest of tasks and was relying on my family to help me with everything. I was on oxygen 24 hours a day and needed to use a wheelchair when I went out.

My education was suffering as I wasn’t able to do my A levels. My dream was always to get myself to university and prove that even with a life threatening illness I could still do everything my friends were doing.  At this point I wasn’t living, just surviving.

Ten months after being put on the transplant list I received my one and only call. The first unassisted breath I took after my transplant was amazing. From that moment on I could take a (painful) deep breath. It took around eight months after my transplant for life to really start to settle. Hospital appointments were being reduced and I was able to regain my independence. 11 months after my transplant I went back to college to gain my A levels and was able to walk with my little sister to her first day at school – all without being breathless!

I am now celebrating my fifth anniversary from having received my life-saving double lung transplant. I’m hoping to jump of out of a plane to show how organ donation really has changed my life. I have been able to fulfill my dream and go to university, starting my third year this autumn.  I have also been able to travel and have been on five different holidays

just this year! I work just like any other student and make sure that I make the most of what life has to offer.

In just five years I have gone from thinking about my death and what I will be missing out on, to enjoying every second of life. My donor has turned what was the end of my life into the beginning of a whole new journey for me.  Thank you could never be enough.

We’d love to hear from you

We are very grateful to those who have sent us their stories and experiences relating to organ donation. If you have a story you would like to share on our blog, please email us on info@livelifegivelife.org.uk

#HonourMyChoice

on Instagram