Doctor shares her inspirational story

Ulster Hospital Resident Doctor Catherine McCarroll who successfully underwent a double lung transplant in January 2022.

Transcript

00:00I know from my experience I'm very, very thankful to my donor. Couldn't be more thankful.

00:13As a doctor, I didn't really know very much about organ donation and transplant medicine

00:18until three years ago I found myself on the waiting list for a double lung transplant

00:23just after my daughter was born.

00:25Something I'm really passionate about now is just raising awareness of organ donation.

00:30Again, I don't think it's a very well understood thing.

00:33I didn't really know about it until I was needing it, but I think if you do make that decision

00:40to become an organ donor, you're making such a brave, selfless choice

00:45and you're giving someone the gift of life.

00:47You're not only saving that person's life, you're giving them their whole life back, like myself.

00:53Before transplant, I was on oxygen 24-7, was becoming increasingly bed-bound as a new mother and everything.

01:01And now I'm here doing all the things I love, like being a mum, being a doctor and all these other things.

01:07So I think you're really saving someone's life and also giving someone such a gift.