An Irish mother whose four-year-old daughter is in urgent need of a new heart is pleading with parents to donate their child’s organs in the event of a tragedy.
Holly Carroll, from Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in January 2015, reports The Irish Examiner. She underwent two major open heart surgeries in her first year of life and in April 2017 suffered full heart failure. Since then, she has been confined to a hospital bed at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Dublin.
Her only hope is a transplant in Great Ormond Street in London, and Holly’s parents, Jessica O’Mahoney and Jamie Carroll are stressing the importance of organ donation in the event of a tragedy.
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"Congenital Heart Disease has stolen Holly's future and without a transplant, we will never get to see our girl grow up and have the best life she deserves," said Jessica.
“She has been living in a hospital for the last two years and four months. She started school in the hospital last week and a teacher comes every day to her bedside.
Holly Carroll. Credit: GoFundMe
"Because of the pressure on her half a heart to do the work of the missing pieces, Holly is now in full heart failure. Doctors say her heart isn't even beating anymore, it's just rocking. She urgently needs a new heart.
"It's not normal for a little girl to only know feeding tubes, broviacs, cannulas and all the other equipment but this is the nightmare that we are living until that call comes to say they have found our girl a shiny new heart.
“We are pleading now with people to please have the talk with your families, friends and tell them you want to donate your organs.
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"We would never wish tragedy on anyone but as desperate parents who want our own child to survive, we are urging other parents to have that chat, in case an accident does happen.
"If you have a chat now, it might make it easier to say yes to donation, God forbid anyone finds themselves in that moment of pure heartbreak.
“Holly's biggest wish is to be able to run really fast and our biggest wish would be to get our little girl home for Christmas.
"Organ donation, especially children's are extremely low. If you can save lives, you are a hero. Please, be a hero and text Donor to 50050."
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