A mother from Walsall has courageously shared her urgent need for a life-saving double lung transplant, as her condition deteriorates rapidly. Kelly Cooley, 46, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis four years ago and given a prognosis of three to five years. She now depends on oxygen around the clock and has been on the transplant waiting list at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for two years.
The illness has dramatically altered her life, forcing her to leave her job of two decades and confining her to a wheelchair. 'I know a transplant is my only chance,' she stated. Kelly is among approximately 1,500 patients in the Midlands waiting for an organ donor, with 64 people dying while waiting last year alone. The Midlands has one of the lowest rates of family consent for organ donation.
She is urging families to have serious discussions about organ donation. 'Talk to your family about donors and giving parts up because it could really change someone's life,' Kelly pleaded. The mother fears she is 'running out of time' as her health worsens, having been hospitalised four times with complications such as pneumonia.
For the full story, read the original article on Birmingham Live.
