family photoThe mother-of-two, who underwent a double lung transplant 12 years ago, has appealed to people to join the organ donor register “like me, to keep families together longer”.
Natalie Kerr, from Adlington, near Chorley, Lancashire, was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension after giving birth to her daughter and underwent a transplant.
The 42-year-old said she was worried that she “wouldn't be here to see every milestone” but was able to watch her children Isabel and Brandon grow.
The former Royal Bolton Hospital nurse said: “If you want to donate, it only takes a few seconds to register your wish. Just think how great it would be to save someone's life when you die.” .
heart scan
Natalie said she first realized something was wrong when she started short of breath.
“At first I was worried that I was walking too fast,” she told BBC Radio Lancashire.
“Then my symptoms started to worsen and I couldn’t breathe and started collapsing.
“In 2007 I was pregnant with my little girl and at this point my breath got even worse.
“My lips turned blue and I couldn’t even walk up the stairs to the ward. I went into labor at 33 weeks in the maternity ward of the hospital and had to undergo a heart scan during labor as my oxygen levels were very low. Ta.”
They revealed that she had pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disease that causes blood vessels to narrow over time.
“Blessed”
At this point, Natalie was given only a few years to live.
She was placed on the transplant list in October 2011.
Thankfully, on February 16, 2012, she received a call that some lungs were available.
“Twelve years later, I still can't express in words what the transplant meant to me,” she says.
“It’s really great to be here with my kids who are now 22 and 16 years old.”
“I’m so grateful to the donors who are the registrants for keeping me here with my kids.
“I feel really lucky to have had so much time. My donor has given me a future that I didn't think I had.”
