An Irish mother whose four-year-old daughter is in urgent need of a new heart is pleading with parents to donate her child's organs in case of tragedy.
Holly Carroll, from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome in January 2015. The Irish Examiner reports. She underwent two major open heart surgeries in her first year of life and suffered complete heart failure in April 2017. Since then, she has been confined to a bed at Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Dublin.
Her only hope is a transplant at London's Great Ormond Street, and Holly's parents Jessica O'Mahony and Jamie Carroll stress the importance of organ donation in the event of tragedy.
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Jessica said: “Congenital heart disease has robbed Holly of her future and without a transplant I won't be able to see my daughter grow up and live the best life she deserves.”
“She has been living in the hospital for the past two years and four months. She started school at the hospital last week and the teacher comes to her bedside every day.
Holly Carroll. Credit: GoFundMe
“Holly is now in complete heart failure as half of her heart is under pressure to deal with the missing parts. Doctors say her heart is not even beating anymore and is just dying. It's just shaking. It needs a new heart ASAP.”
“It's not normal for a little girl to only know feeding tubes, Broviacs, cannulas, and all the other equipment. But this is the most we'll ever experience until we get the call that our daughter has a shiny new heart. It's a nightmare.
“We are now appealing to people to speak to their family and friends and let them know they would like to donate their organs.
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“We don't wish tragedy on anyone, but as desperate parents hoping their child will survive, we encourage other parents to speak up in case an accident occurs. .
“It might be easier to say yes to a donation if we could chat now, but God forbid anyone should fall into a moment of pure heartbreak.
“Holly's biggest wish is to be able to run really fast, but our biggest wish is to be able to take our daughter home for Christmas.
“Organ donations, especially for children, are extremely rare. If you can save a life, you are a hero. Please be a hero and text your donor to 50050.”
