Transplant patient urges people to register for organ donation

Seeing her today, it's almost impossible to believe that twelve short months ago Kirstie Tancock was on life support close to death in the end stage of her fight with Cystic fibrosis.

Kirstie had a double lung transplant weeks after marrying her husband Stuart. A donor became available after doctors had told her family that time was running out. Her life has been transformed by the surgery.

Kirstie has become an advocate for the Live Life Then Give Life charity, which promotes awareness about organ donation and transplants. She's given talks, spoken to schoolchildren and singlehandedly signed 300 people onto the organ donation register. She's celebrating a year since her transplant this week with a Charity Ball in Exeter on Saturday, but not a day goes past when she doesn't think of her donor.

90% of people would accept an organ transplant if they needed one - but only 27% of people are actually on the register. It's something Kirstie really wants to help change.

Living life to the full, with a charity bike ride planned for September from The Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital to harefield Hospital in London where she had her transplant, Kirstie is a shining example of why signing up to the register is so important.

To sign up to the register, visit the NHS Organ Donor Register.

You can watch the full report by Jacquie Bird here: