A MUM and the doctor who helped save her life will be reunited at a special gala dinner.
Natalie Kerr of Adlington is staging a special fundraising dinner to mark 10 years of having a double-lung transplant.
Natalie said the transplant had allowed her to see her two children Brandon and Isabelle grow up. The 40-year-old, who worked as a nurse at the Royal Bolton Hospital, was diagnosed with the rare condition idiopathic pulmonary hypertension in 2008, while giving birth to her daughter Isabelle at the hospital.
She was critically ill when Dr Kevin Jones was called to A&E to step in, and it is thanks to him she was able to be diagnosed and treated in time.
Dr Jones was able to help through his research into the condition.
Dr Kevin Jones and Natalie Kerr
He said: “It’s very, very rare for a GP to see this condition, and it takes a long time to make the diagnosis.”
Natalie said: “My hope for my transplant was that it would keep me here to see my children grown up. The main thing was I wanted to see them grow up, I didn’t know how long I would get but as I was so close to dying, any time would have been a benefit.
“My main wish and dream was to see them reach 18 and still is, beyond that getting married and seeing my grandchildren. Just to be normal is all I want. I’ve loved watching them grow into the amazing humans that they are today.
From left to right: Son Brandon, Natalie, daughter Isabelle, and dog Coco in Blackpool
“The last 10 years have been amazing, there have been ups and downs but I try to stay positive and surround myself with lots of love!
“I’ve made lots of happy memories with Brandon and Isabelle including Disney World, Lapland, Venice, Paris, Ibiza plus celebrated lots of birthdays and Christmases.
“In Christmas 2011, I was very poorly, spent all day on oxygen and could hardly get up. I was very sad but tried to make it as happy as I could for the kids. I think all my family and friends including myself, thought this was my last Christmas.”
Natalie added: “I strongly encourage families to talk about organ donation and share their wishes with each other. I’m living proof that it works – my wonderful donor has kept me here with my family for an extra 10 years.”
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