Sometimes we as a family stop and wonder if we are doing the right thing in telling Beths story and then we receive messages like these... Please keep discussing Organ Donation
The first abrreviated message was sent to Beth's sister Lydia iphone at graduation (Amie has given us permission to share it with you).
The second message was an email we recently were sent from 'J' which once again emphasises the importance of organ donation and the value it gives to people and their loved ones. We are just so pleased that people are still reading Beth's story and discussing the message we are trying to convey.
"Hi,
You probably don't know who I am but I thought a message on here would be much easier than trying to catch you yesterday(at graduation).
I was on Beth's course ( only for the third year as I was on a different course for the first two).
I auditioned with Beth years ago when we first applied for Uni. We got on so well and my only regret is that I didn't get to know her better at the beginning of the third year.
I have been ill for a very long time. I've got kidney failure and I was booked in to have my transplant (my nan donating to me) just a few weeks after Beth passed away.
I just want you and the rest of your lovely family to know how truly amazing it is what she has done, coming from someone who really understands just how important organ donation is.
I was graduating yesterday and I was really moved when you collected her award. I have been looking through photographs that my family took yesterday and I have found a few of you collecting Beth's award - was just wondering whether you would like them to keep?
Lots of love to you and your family.
Amie X"
Email from J:
"I just wanted to say thank you to your beautiful daughter and your wonderful family for the precious gifts you gave at such a heart breaking time. My husband is a lung transplant patient and without another family who were as generous as yourselves he would not have had the last 5 years of life. Thank you, what you did and his donor's family did was incredibly special. I'm sure that the recipients of your daughters donations do the same as my husband and I do, every day we think of the donor and give thanks to them and their family. Your daughter lives on in them. I hope you continue to heal and cherish the life Beth had.
When my husband had his transplant I had to spend 6 weeks with him at the hospital in Newcastle, while there I met the families of many people waiting for transplants and the horrifying thing was how many of them were babies and children. Many of them had spent months of their very short lives unable to be at home because they had to be at the hospital to be kept alive while they waited. Of course donors for children are even more rare than adults, so anything that can be done to raise public awareness about the need for donors is so worthwhile. The decision to be a donor should be your own and discussed, as you say, with your loved ones so that the decision does not have to be theirs. If you take a look at the facebook page (Albert's heart) of one very lucky young man from Burbage, Leicestershire it will enforce what you already know - brave families like yours make a huge difference.
It must have been very painful for you to make your website but it is beautifully done. Your description of what happened when preparing for the transplants was really helpful to me as I have often thought about what it is like for the donor's family.
As you say life is cruel, I have a son and really do not know how any family copes with the loss you have had. I hope that as time passes you are able to celebrate Beth's life with more laughter and less pain.
Since his transplant my husband celebrates two birthdays, his own and the day of his transplant which is 'R's Day'.
For you the day is a very painful anniversary but for others it is their 'Bethy's Day'
J X"
