Tragic James gave me the gift of life

Kevin 'forever grateful' to donor's family following heart transplant

- CHRIS MARZELLA

A Scot who received a new heart from a donor whose organs saved four lives following his tragic death has says he is thankful for the “amazing gift”.

Kevin Brogan experienced an unexpected heart attack in early 2023.

That led to him being under the care of the Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service for three months as doctors battled to revive his deteriorating heart.

Eventually, he was hit with the devastating news that he would eventually need a heart transplant.

The heart of young Glaswegian, James Alexander Borland, was identified as a match.

Tragically, James had passed away at the tender age of just 25.

A year after James's death, his grieving mother Audrey Cameron, 58, attended The Order of St John Award ceremony for donor families.

Through NHS Blood and Transplant's anonymous letter system, she received messages from two recipients whose lives were saved by James's organs.

One of these recipients was Kevin from Stirling.

Today, four men continue to live due to receiving the donated organs - including a man who underwent a double lung transplant and two others who each received a kidney.