Recently, we have had the joy of photographing the Larsen family. Unbeknownst to us, we were getting ready to photograph a true miracle.
On the way to our shooting location, I noticed a sticker on the back of the Larsen's car that said "Give Life, Be An Organ Donor". I am a HUGE advocate for organ donation. Many of you may not be aware, but my previous career was as a registered nurse in the ICU at a local hospital. It was there that I witnessed a donor giving the greatest gift one has to give, the gift of life. She was a young adult, not expecting to die. However, due to a heart abnormality, she suffered cardiac arrest. She was resuscitated, but not in time to preserve her brain function. She was later pronounced brain dead, and COPA (Carolina Organ Procurement Agency) was notified, as she had made her wishes to be a donor abundantly clear to her family. In addition, she was one of those especially giving and loving people, and giving of herself to help others was her norm. Organ donation was her last demonstration of this in her Earthly life. What a miraculous gift it was. She saved the lives of SEVEN people! Seven families were able to hold their loved ones just a bit longer. Seven people were able to make an impact on this world, because of her gift. Thus, in essence, it was eight! For it was only with her gift to each of them, that they were able to live on!
So you see, I had seen the donor's side of it before. However, seeing Erik was the first time I witnessed the recipient's side of organ donation. I saw how happy, energetic and sweet little Erik is. I saw how much his big brother doted on him. I saw an endless supply of love in the eyes of his parents. I saw sheer gratitude, for the gift they received that allowed them to have their son with them, enjoying life. I grasped the reality that they were aware of everyday..... that without the gift of organ donation, there son would not be with them today here on Earth. There is no greater gift! I appeal to each of you, please consider becoming an organ donor. Please consider helping the other Erik's of the world live to enjoy another day with their family!
Here is Erik's story, written by his Mom Colleen:
Erik was born Sept. 1, 2013. He was healthy, strong, and a very happy baby at birth. As the weeks went by, we began to notice some changes in him. He was taking large feedings yet never seemed satisfied. Then, his eyes developed a slight yellow cast to them. A blood test at the pediatrician's office showed an elevated bilirubin level and just a few days later we learned that Erik had biliary atresia. Biliary atresia is a life-threatening condition in infants in which the bile ducts inside or outside the liver do not have normal openings. The initial treatment is the Kasai procedure, an operation where the bile ducts are removed and a loop of intestine is brought up to replace them. Erik underwent his Kasai at 2 months of age in November 2013. Three months later, it was recommended that he be listed for a liver transplant. While we waited to receive the call, my husband and I were both evaluated as potential donors for Erik. Unfortunately, neither of us were the right match. We continued to wait and during the evening of May 6, 2014, we received the phone call. Erik received the gift of life May 7th. His incredible strength and determination continue to amaze us all! We cannot thank Erik's donor and their family enough for this gift. Their loved one lives on in Erik and we are truly grateful.
Below is a picture of Erik, about 1 month before he received his transplant. He was so little and working hard to gain weight!
To me, the following statement summarizes organ donation the best: "Without the organ donor, there is no story, no hope, no transplant. But when there is an organ donor, life springs from death, sorrow turns to hope and a terrible loss becomes a gift." - UNOS.