Louise Lawrence • Advocates • LLTGL

27-year-old Louise Lawrence lives in Croydon. She has just undergone a single lung transplant and is one of our Advocates for the London area.

When she was three years old, Louise was diagnosed with a childhood cancer called Wilms Tumour, and was in and out of hospital for the next three years. Following aggressive treatment and against all odds, Louise battled through and went into remission. However years later, she began to get breathless and doctors informed her that she had a lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis. This is a progressive condition and there is possible link to the radiotherapy treatment for the cancer she suffered from as a child. There is no cure and it is repeatedly scarring her lungs leaving her feeling increasingly breathless every day.

Louise has done interviews with her local radio station (in spite of her acute shortness of breath) and has featured in the Mirror, raising awareness about the lack of donors, in particular those from Afro-Caribbean descent. With the lack of donors from the Afro-Caribbean community so grave, Louise has actively targeted such individuals to increase awareness. She has been forced to contemplate her chances of survival: "I have accepted that fighting will keep me strong but its not enough on its own. There is a real need for people to act upon their feelings if they feel that organ donation is a positive thing. That way thousands of lives can be saved."

Louise is a teacher and is currently on long-term sick leave whilst she waits for her transplant. She loves to travel and wants to do a photography course once she gets her new lungs. Louise’s sunny disposition and positive nature means she always keeps going optimistically and with a smile. She is able to laugh about her illness, referencing the bluish tinge her low oxygen saturation gives her as her "smurf trick!"

Louise says of her Live Life Then Give Life work "I feel I can be a voice for all the people currently waiting like me on the organ transplant waiting list and hopefully make a difference...even if its a small one" Louise states that she relies on oxygen therapy, her family and friends to give her the strength and courage to stay alive. She is on the transplant list for a single or possibly double lung and is keeping busy raising awareness whilst she waits and hopes for that call to come.

We are pleased to report that Louise has received her transplant. Due to being so very ill by the time she got her call, she is having a prolonged recovery in hospital. We hope she will be out and enjoying this new lease of life soon.