Donor's Legacy of Life

Oakura woman Andrea Needham will never forget the phone call that changed her life.

It was early Sunday morning just over a year ago from Greenlane Hospital. The instructions were as precise as they were urgent. The message was clear: Get to the airport.

She'd been waiting for a double-lung transplant operation for nearly two years. During that time she was losing her fight for life as her capacity to breathe was down to little more than 20%.

later that night, on March 12, 2007at 2am to be precise, her nine hour operation began.

Although the operation was successful, she was desperately ill for days afterwards and on at least one occasion her frinds go together to pray for her.

But she made it.

And one year later, although she has some minor health issues to overcome, Andrea is so much better it defies belief.

Her emails were always prolific, now they are legandary for both there frequency and the huge number of recipients around the world on her mailing list.

This week, almost exactly a year after her lifesaving operation, she shared her thoughts on an incredible 12 months. typically she is now campainging for the donors and started with a plea. This is her story in her words.

"I know some of you have been extremely active on encouraging people to think ahead and I truly thank you for that. I do not mind if a family does not donate. I only hope that the decision is a predetermined and conscious on rather than a family scrambling around in the ICU when their loved one is dying".

Then she moved on to hose families who had donated the organs of loved ones.

"Thank you! In my view this is one of the bravest and most generous decisions a family can make. And to have to follow through on this decision in the middle of an emotionally charged crisis underpins the bravery and generosity of thos donor families. So thank you donor families!