BRAINTREE, Mass. (WHDH) — April is Donate Life Month and Braintree held an event Friday to highlight the importance of being an organ donor.
The event at Braintree Town Hall featured guest speakers who spoke about how their lives have been impacted by organ donation. Erica Shea, from Brockton, went through heart failure following a battle with cancer and was in need of a transplant. At the time, she was a new mother and she was concerned she would never find the right organ match.
“You don’t know if you’d live to see this child, who you were told you’d never have. He’s a miracle baby and you think he’s going to grow up without a mom, so it’s scary,” said Shea.
After waiting two years, a matching heart was located and Shea’s operation was a success. She said she is very thankful to the person whose heart she received.
“There are no words that can tell how grateful you are. They’ve given me the gift of life. The only other person who’s done that is my mother, it’s something that I’m eternally grateful for.” She does not know who her donor was but she wrote a thank you letter to their family.
Sandy Duffy lost her son, Chris, to a brain aneurysm when he was just 35 years old. Because he was a donor, his organ tissue has helped 45 people around the world.
“I believe he lives on in all these people he has helped,” said Duffy.
Matt Boger from New England Donor Services said anyone who is any age can register to be an organ and tissue donor. To sign up, click here.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)