The sisters, along with their father, Ciaran, donate blood regularly because they say their mother would not have lived so long if people had not donated blood to help her when she was ill.
Noora Lawler was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension and after three heart and lung transplants, she died on September 8, 1995.
Awareness
Although she was only in her early 40s when she died, Noura was well known to the Irish public, having appeared on Gay Byrne's Late Late Show and in the Herald several times, and she was instrumental in raising public awareness of the importance of organ donation at a time when the issue was not as prominent as it is today.
Noora underwent the first-ever heart and lung transplant at Harefield Hospital in Middlesex in September 1985, but a month later the donor's organs developed serious problems.
Just 16 months later, at the age of 36, she underwent another transplant at the same hospital under the direction of her surgeon, Magdi Yacoub.
She then underwent her final heart and lung transplant in August 1995. Sadly, she passed away just a few weeks later.
Now, her family, who live in Mount Merion, gives back to the community by donating blood regularly.
Linda, 29, spoke to the Herald ahead of the 2008 Blood for Life Week, which runs from September 14-21.
“My mum received many blood donations throughout her life and it really helped her so much and we see it as a way of giving back. Without everyone she wouldn't have lived this long,” said Linda, who works in IT from Dublin.
She said her mother maintained a very positive attitude over the years.
“I was 16 when my mother died and my sister was 17 and a half. She ended up having a heart and lung transplant and never woke up again,” Linda said.
Linda has been donating blood for the past four years and has donated a total of 16 times. Her blood type is O negative, which is a universal donor but is only present in 8% of the Irish population.
Meanwhile his father Ciaran (58) has been donating blood since 1977, and his sister Cliona (30) has been giving for the past two years. Other members of his family are also involved: Ciaran's sister Joan Ryan has donated blood more than 100 times, and his brother Jimmy and his wife Cora Lawler also donate blood.
The Irish Blood Transfusion Service says blood can only be stored for 35 days and donors can donate blood every 90 days.
