Jac Didsbury

Jacqueline was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a baby due to her older sister Claire being affected by the disease. Jacqueline also had a younger sister, Frances Ann, who was also diagnosed with the condition. Sadly both her sisters died at a young age; Claire when she was only six, and Frances Ann when she was 19. Frances Ann had been on the transplant list waiting for new lungs for two-and-a-half years.

Jacqueline describes herself as having a happy childhood despite needing frequent hospital admissions. She enjoyed school and following her exams managed to secure a place at Glasgow medical school. She graduated with a medical degree in 2002 and is now working as a doctor in Psychiatry.

Jacqueline was in her early twenties when her younger sister died, and following this her own health started to rapidly decline. She was placed on the transplant waiting list in 2006, being given an estimate of two years to live. She waited two years but that call finally came in April 2008 and she successfully underwent a double lung transplant. Since this day Jacqueline has not looked back. She clearly has experience of transplant – from her own need but also from the perspective of losing someone who was waiting. She therefore is keen to help raise awareness of organ donation issues and hopes to use her role as an advocate to pursue this.

Jacqueline is a quiet but extremely focused and determined lady. She has helped with media work in the past but her preference is to speak publicly on LLTGL’s behalf. She spoke at Scottish parliament a few years ago, has spoken at several Churches and set up organ donor stalls in University unions in order to help increase awareness.    One of her   biggest fundraising events was her Team Jac walk, where 160 participants hiked 10 miles of the Fife coast, raising over £26,000 for Live Life Then Give Life.  She is currently working alongside our two Scottish advocates in fundraising events and organ donor desks.  Their big event last year was a Masquerade Ball, raising over £12,000 for LLTGL. 

She has also recently spent time speaking at schools, both at primary and secondary school level, in order to help educate the pupils about organ donation and transplant.  She recorded a podcast about her transplant experiences for the student British Medical Journal, which is a resource for medical students.

Jacqueline hopes that through her role as advocate she can go on to help others who are in the same situation and to honour the memory of her donor who has given her this second chance in life.

blog  http://www.weejac.blogspot.com/

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