Lucy's heart op success drove her to new career in nursing

Her lifesaving heart transplant last year is spurring Annan's 23-year-old Lucy Smith to pursue a career in nursing.

- SHARON LIPTROTT

And, now fit and healthy, she is highlighting her transplant journey for Organ and Tissue Donation Week in gratitude to the donor whose gift of a heart - alongside the skills of the team at NHS Golden Jubilee University National Hospital - made sure she can now pursue her dreams.

Lucy, a care worker, has also raised thousands of pounds on a gofundme online site for the hospital where she had her successful operation on May 4 last year.

After a rollercoaster of illness which led to heart failure, she was transferred to the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service at the Golden Jubilee, diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and put on the urgent transplant waiting list five days before her successful operation.

In all she spent seven weeks at Scotland's only heart transplant centre and is keen to share her transplant journey to raise awareness and encourage conversations around organ and tissue donation as this year's campaign celebrates 30 years of the NHS Organ Donor Register - and calls on everyone to make their donation decision known.