A 22-year-old in desperate need of a double lung transplant to save her life chose national transplant week to share her story.


Georgina Petrie, known as George to her friends, recently celebrated her 22nd birthday but, instead of partying with friends like most girls her age would, her energy was spent just trying to breathe.


The Cobham resident has cystic fibrosis and was told at the age of 21 that she needed a double lung transplant to live.


Six months later she is still waiting for the call.


She said: “At first being on the waiting list was very hard to deal with. It was always on my mind and every time my phone went I would have a mini heart attack.


“As time goes on I have learned to relax and deal with life as normally as possible.


“The hardest days are my bad days when even getting out of bed is a struggle. I’m waiting for a call to change my life - a call that might never happen.”


Due to severe breathlessness, Miss Petrie is reliant on others to help her with daily tasks so her mother Anne, 47, and boyfriend Lee, 26, both help care for her.


She wears oxygen 24 hours a day and is frequently admitted to hospital for intravenous antibiotics.


National transplant week runs from July 9 to 15 and this year’s theme is Pass it on.


Miss Petrie encouraged everyone to pass on the gift of life by joining the organ donor register and telling their friends and relatives about their wishes.


She said: “A transplant would mean the world to me; a new start, a second chance, a whole new lease on life. I would be able to do things I never imagined possible.


“I could do the simplest things like jumping out of bed in the morning instead of making sure I don’t move too fast in case I have a massive coughing fit.


“By signing the organ donor register you can save up to nine lives, what better life achievement is there than that?”


Visit lltgl.org.uk/nhsbt or call 0300 1232323 to sign the register.