TELEVISION SERIES ABOUT ORGAN DONATION

We're glued to the television every Thursday night at 9.30pm, for a series that's being shown on Channel Nine.

The Gift

We can't be objective in recommending this, because we've met so many of the people featured in the series. Most notably, Rose's little mate Bella, pictured in my earlier post, is one of the kids whose story is told.

friends, then, and now. . .

Rose on the left, and Bella on the right.

Photographed in our hospital room in December, 2003, about 5 months before Rose's transplant.

Rose and Bella play hilariously together whenever they meet. Their common experience (both born with biliary atresia) isn't exactly on their agenda. Dancing is, as well as cuddling, and falling over.

The time has come now for Bella - she requires a liver transplant.

Australian Organ Donor Register

Shane waits outside the broadcasting booth at ABC Melbourne's radio studios

On Tuesday 6 February, we were guests on Jon Faine's Conversation Hour, interviewed by Jon and his co-host Marieke Hardy.

Jon and Marieke first interviewed Allan Turner, the father of the late Zaidee Turner. His daughter's sudden death in December 2004 led to Zaidee becoming the only child organ donor that year in the state of Victoria.

In honour of their daughter, Allan and his wife Kim set up the awareness-raising organization Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation. Many readers will already be familiar with the work of this formidable man.

Coincidentally, Allan recently left a comment on this blog, and I sent him an email in reply. I had no idea though that that we would be meeting him so soon. Rose was delighted to cuddle him, and to chat with him about the lovely Zaidee.

Zaidee's middle name is Rose.

Rose leaving the ABC's Southbank studios, gripping her Nan's hand, Rose claiming that she was keen to eat a cheese sandwich

The day when we held our frail 8-month-old, hovering below 6 kilograms, wondering whether or not she would live. . . well, it seems more distant than ever.

ROSE HAS BEGUN KINDERGARTEN

The Australian Transplant Games are over until 2008. Rose's photo made it to a couple of newspapers this week: the Geelong Times (article entitled "Plenty of heart on the track"), and the Herald Sun (article entitled "New shot at life").

My incredibly generous cousin and her husband have been hosting us on the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, so that we could easily attend the Games. We're so grateful for their love and for their personal support. And on a broader level, they are strong supporters of organ donation, with a much loved family member six years ago having donated all of her organs, changing forever the lives of eight recipients.

I have mentioned baby Rani. She died this month before she could receive a liver transplant that she desperately needed. Please think of her bereaved family, and others like them who will lose a family member this year because of the shortage of organ donors.

Most importantly, if you do support organ donation, please clearly communicate your wishes to your family, to spare them the anguish of wondering what you would have wanted. Many of those reading this blog will have already taken the crucial extra step to talk with family, apart from signing up on the Australian Organ Donor Registry. But there's no harm in my mentioning it again.

Rose is the youngest registered competitor in the National Transplant Games, being held this week in Geelong.

Pictured here at the opening parade, with some of her cute little Victorian competitors.

Rose's 10 metre run will be in honour of two people: her wonderful donor who has saved her life; and her little 12-month-old friend Rani, who died on September 1, waiting for a liver transplant.

Organ Donation

Rose's excellent doctors, and possibly hundreds of other professionals, delivered her to the point of being able to receive the gift of a donated liver. Our family and friends held us together during the long wait.

But without the decision of a grieving family and the gift that flowed from their actions, nothing could have helped Rose to survive for much longer.

Overly sentimental words seem inappropriate in thanking families who have agreed to the donation of organs. It's hard to get the words right.

I want to tell families who have donated organs that we cherish the gift of Rose's liver; that our little girl is now strong and healthy, with no apparent memory of her illness; that we never forget their generosity.

We are, of course, registered organ donors.

Shane describes like this his feelings about Rose receiving a liver:

"With young children, it is usual to imagine with excitement and trepidation their future; fanning out like the branches of a tree are the unrealized possibilities for their lives. I see Rose sitting at the trunk of such a tree, her life full of potential but as yet still narrow. With that potential our little girl also carries the skill, dedication, love and luminous generosity of the people who have made her life possible, and on her journey, nestled close to her heart, she cradles the liver of her greatest friend."

In the pink, mucking around with her sisters at home. Rose's liver function is now normal, and she is in excellent health two years post-transplant.

3 years old

Walkerville South, Victoria

Rose is delighted at the chance to spend a whole week in the same house as her cousins, who have generously invited us along to their beach holiday.

with one of her uncles

Christmas morning

Walking to collect the kids from school

Rose had a trip to the Emergency Department last night. She fell into what we were later told is a common Melbourne Cup Day trap for inquisitive toddlers - touching a hot barbecue plate!

Shane and Rose being interviewed for the ABC TV news, at the Royal Children's Hospital, celebrating its ten year old liver transplant program

at the school fete

Rose was last night permitted to sleep in the family birth centre with Shane and Mia and me. We're grateful to the staff for granting us that experience, which was very settling for Rose. She spent this morning falling in love with her new baby sister.

Rose became a big sister tonight, with the birth of Mia.

Forster, New South Wales

Port Macquarie, New South Wales

on the farm

Crowdy Head, New South Wales

Manning River, Cundletown, New South Wales

Crowdy Head, New South Wales

Crowdy Head, New South Wales

Crowdy Head, New South Wales

Central Station, Sydney

late night at the school musical

Discharged from the ward after a 2 night stay