Mother Pleads for Direct Organ Donation to Save Daughter

Janet Murnaghan, the mother of , made a final plea to the public on Sunday.

Sarah Murnaghan has been on both the adult and pediatric lung transplant list for 18 months. Because of her age and organ transplant policy, she will only receive adult donor lungs after all adult candidates, regardless of how sick they are, have the opportunity to accept them. There are far fewer pediatric lungs available.

On Friday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requested that Dr. John Roberts, president of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Board, re-evaluate the organ donor policy regarding children, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

However, it may be too late for Sarah.

Janet Murnaghan released the following statement on Sunday:

Secretary Sebelius’ decision to not exercise her very clear authority under the law to intervene and mandate a variance that would help save Sarah’s life is devastating.

The Secretary recognizes that the policy is flawed and needs to be changed, and she directed the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) to immediately evaluate and review the current policy. She also expressed our shared concern for increased attention to organ donation.

This is a very positive step for children and their families who may find themselves in similar circumstance. However, Sarah, and other children like her who need a transplant now, do not have the luxury of time to wait for a lengthy bureaucratic change.

Essentially, Sarah has been left to die.

So many people have asked us what they can do to help Sarah. We are told, her only hope is a direct donation from the public. We recognize how difficult the end of a person’s life is—we are at that point with Sarah. And we must now ask for the single greatest favor any parent can, and that is to consider naming our child an organ recipient should someone lose the life of a loved one in the very near future. Our little girl, who loves writing music, making crafts and playing with her siblings can honor someone’s life by living on herself. That is, after all, what organ donation is all about.

Anyone who would like to commit their loved ones’ lungs to Sarah should designate her as the lung recipient when donating organs.

Many people have contacted Patch regarding the possibility of a living donor lung transplant but, according to the Murnaghan family, that is not possible for Sarah at the present time because no major hospitals have proper license to perform living donor adult to child transplants.

However, the family is truly amazed by the outpouring of generosity and sincerely thanks those who have offered to donate their own lungs.

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