ORGANS transplanted from a young East Lancashire girl killed in a freak motorway accident have helped save the lives of three people across the country.
Kirsty-Lee King, 11, was fatally injured a week ago after she fell out of a side door of a horsebox on the M62. She was taken to Leeds General Infirmary but died a short time later.
Her devastated parents, Jane and Nick, of Fallbarn Crescent, Rawtenstall, made the heart-wrenching decision to donate their daughter's organs for transplant.
Now Jane has been given details of how Kirsty-Lee's tragic death has helped save the lives of others.
Her liver was transplanted into a 48-year-old mother-of-five at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, while one of her kidneys and her pancreas were transplanted into a 40-year-old married woman at St James' Hospital, Leeds. The woman no longer needs dialysis.
Kirsty-Lee's remaining kidney was donated to a 44-year-old single man from Newcastle. All three recipients are doing well.
The youngster's heart and valves have been used to help a number of other patients.
In a letter to Jane, Helen Aldersly, transplant co-ordinator for the Yorkshire region at St James', said: "There are no words that will resolve the pain of losing Kirsty but I hope this information may be of some very small comfort to you in the future." Jane said Kirsty-Lee was aware of transplantation. "It helps to know that she has helped save other people's lives," said Jane. "It's what she would have wanted. I was just grateful that she could help someone else, especially the lady with five children."
Jane, who has a donor card, said the decision to donate organs was down to the individual.
The accident happened on September 9 after Kirsty-Lee, a pupil at Haslingden High School, joined family friend Stephen Duffy and his eight-year-old daughter Samantha to collect a horsebox from Humberside.
They were returning when it is thought Kirsty-Lee fell from the side door on to the hard shoulder near Huddersfield.
A motorway maintenance crew witnessed the accident and gave Kirsty first aid until emergency services arrived.
She was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with head injuries but died the next day.
Kirsty-Lee was dressed in her riding gear for the funeral last week.
Her ashes are to be scattered at the home of her heroes, Blackburn Rovers, in a few weeks time.
Kirsty-Lee was a star pupil at Balladen County Primary School, Rawtenstall, and was awarded a special trophy for high academic achievement in her final term.
She had been at Haslingden High School for only a week when she was killed.
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