Theo Omondi, an infant who sadly died at only 41 days old, is now saving other children's lives since his parents signed him up to be an organ donor.
'We are proud of what Theo could do'
"For us, it was only and still is a difficult time, however it was never a difficult decision to support Theo to make his donation. We believe he would have wanted to help others if he had been able to grow up and make the decision himself," Theo's parents share in an open letter.
They add, "We are proud of what Theo could do."
Both of Theo's parents have chosen to remain anonymous, and have only provided their beloved son's first and middle name.
Theo has already saved one life
A 5-month-old baby named Imogen Bolton is one of the people whom Theo's organs have saved. Imogen underwent a double lung transplant in order to save her life, as she was suffering from Alveolar capillary dysplasia, a very rare and fatal lung condition. Incidentally, she also became the youngest person in Europe to undergo the surgery.
Imogen's mother, Hayley, shares, "We were told how babies with the condition usually only survive a few weeks after they are born, so the diagnosis was a huge shock."
Imogen's parents were told that a lung transplant would save their daughter's life, but organs for babies are so very hard to come by that they weren't hopeful. All that changed when they heard a call saying that Theo's lungs were a match for Imogen.
Hayley shares, "We will be eternally grateful to them for making the decision to donate at such a difficult time. Without their gift our baby wouldn’t be here."
Facts about organ donation
Many people may have some misconceptions, or even fears brought about by a lack of information about organ donation. Organ donation helps save lives, so here are some facts to set you straight!
- Anyone can be an organ donor. Almost anyone, at any age, can be an organ donor. However, for people younger than 18, the will need the consent of a parent or guardian. For organ donation after death, doctors will conduct a medical assessment to determine which organs can be donated. Additional tests ensure that the organ donor doesn't have any conditions such as HIV, or cancer.
- You can donate even if you have a different blood type. While it's easier for the body to accept the organ if you have the same blood type, some hospitals have forms of treatment that help the body accept the organ, even the blood and tissue types don't match.
- Donating an organ shouldn't affect your quality of life. Some people have a misconception that donating an organ would cause them health problems in the future. This is entirely false, as your body would actually compensate for the loss of the organ. Additionally, before an organ is removed for donation, doctors will first determine if there are any risks to your health or if it would cause complications for you.
Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below.