WITH DonateLife week just around the corner, a Limestone Coast woman whose life was changed by an organ donor has shared her story in hope to inspire similar generosity.
Naracoorte resident Sharon Hoskin battled with heart issues for more than 20 years after contracting influenza as a young mother.
Ms Hoskin remained unwell after the flu at age 32 and could not shake her mystery illness.
Believing she was too young to have a heart condition, Ms Hoskin was reassured by doctors but she knew something was wrong.
“I remember my mum would come to my house and I would be just exhausted lying on the couch but we just could not figure out what was wrong with me,” she said.
Ms Hoskin was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, which prevented her heart from pumping blood around her body correctly and can lead to heart failure.
This started a long journey for Ms Hoskin, who was given between five and eight years to live.
But with the help of modern medicine, Ms Hoskin was stable for over 10 years.
“I was doing okay for 10 years until my heart dropped to 24 beats per minute,” she said.
“I had to get a pacemaker.
“It was not long after that my heart developed an electrical occurrence where it would go to 300 beats, so they gave me a defibrillator.
“Within a year I had my first shock when my granddaughter was only one month old.
“If I did not have the defibrillator, I would have died that day.”
Over the next few years, Ms Hoskin worked with a cardiologist to keep her stable until she inevitably would need a transplant.
“I got three shocks in a row from my defibrillator and I went and had an angiogram where my doctor mentioned the ‘T-word’,” she said.
“My now-husband and I were planning to get married at the time so they told us to go and do that, have our honeymoon and then come back for tests.
“The tests started in April last year and they told me I had to have my teeth removed before they would put me on the transplant list because they were loose.
“Once that was all healed they called us back to Melbourne and told me I was going on the transplant list – and we expected a three to four month wait before I would get it.”
Worried about the risks involved in the surgery, Ms Hoskin wished to wait until after Christmas to receive her new heart.
“I told my husband I did not want the surgery so soon and I wanted to spend another Christmas with my kids and grandkids because I thought I would die having surgery.
“But to my surprise we got the call less than a week later telling me they had a heart.”
Ms Hoskin received a call on 2am on a Saturday morning and jumped on a plane to Melbourne as soon as possible.
She went into surgery at around 12.30pm and woke up two days later with a new heart.
Now less than a year on, Ms Hoskin said she was living life to the fullest.
“I get to do all of these things that I was too sick to do for so many years,” she said.
“I can go to the playground with my grandchildren and I can join in instead of just watching.
“I could not be more grateful to my donor and their family for giving me this chance – I will love them forever.”
The impact Ms Hoskin’s transplant has made on her life is something she said can never be topped, which has prompted her to become a strong advocate for organ donation.
“My new heart does not just change my life, it changes my family, my friends, my community – you cannot give anyone a better gift than the gift of life,” she said.
“That is why I believe everyone should have that conversation with their families and become organ donors.
“I know organ donation comes out of tragedy and it is a terrible time for those on the other side, but think about what you can give someone.”
To coincide with DonateLife week, Naracoorte and Kybybolite football and netball clubs will come together to celebrate the cause this weekend during Round 15 of the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara league.
Ms Hoskin will be on hand to give out information, merchandise and raise awareness for the vital campaign.
“If getting this message out into the community can help one person, it will be such a blessing,” she said.
