The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke

I remember the day a few years ago when I got my new driver’s license. There was a small blue sticker included in the envelope, and if you put this stick on your driver’s license it identifies you as an organ donor. Without hesitation, I put the sticker on my license and proudly put it in my wallet. If my organs can no longer serve my body, I would consider it an honor and a privilege to donate them to another, or better yet a few different people. This is the territory of “The Story of a Heart” by Dr. Rachel Clarke, which my friend Page, who lives in London told me about. Clarke chronicles a real-life heart donation between two nine-year olds, Keira and Max, at the Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge, England. The story starts when Keira is in a horrific car accident with her mother and brother. All three are taken to different hospitals, and the prognosis for all three is grim. Keira sustained the most serious injuries. Keira’s dad and three sisters, not involved in the accident, rush to the hospital to Keira’s bedside. Her sisters cheerfully hug her, comb her hair and call her by her nickname “Bob.” However, despite showering Keira with love, it is clear she is not going to survive. She is placed on life support, with no hope of recovery. The hospital’s team approaches her dad with the idea of organ donation, and without much hesitation he and her sisters agree this is something Keira would want. All three showed such clarity, ultimate charity, and such awareness and maturity. It is beautiful. Immediately the transplant team go to their list of patients needing Keira’s heart and other organs. A boy named Max is then moved to the top of the list because of his age and chronically fragile heart. We meet the transplant team, see the parents of both children, and follow along with the ultimately successful organ transplant of Keira’s heart into Max’s body. Along the way the author also conveys fascinating information on the history of organ donation, which has come a long way. “The Story of a Heart” is a beautiful book and an important book. It demonstrates how tragedy can be transformed into hope and promise, even in the middle of great loss. To buy this book on Amazon click here.