Lauren Rowe starts Gifted Life charity to help transplant survivors and becomes Women of the Year semi-finalist

Double lung transplant recipient Lauren Rowe wants to break down the misconceptions surrounding organ and tissue donation and has set up the charity Gifted Life to raise awareness and help others.

Lauren Rowe, 26, of Raby, is a finalist for Women of the Future and residents are being urged to vote for her.

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DOUBLE  lung transplant recipient Lauren Rowe wants to break down the misconceptions surrounding organ and tissue donation and has set up the charity Gifted Life to raise awareness and support recipients on the next chapter of their lives.

The Raby resident, 26, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, was 19, on the organ donor waiting list and with her health rapidly deteriorating when she got the call in 2010 that two donor lungs had been found and her lifesaving operation would proceed.

“A transplant is a wonderful treatment but it’s not a cure,” Ms Rowe said. “I would be six feet under without it. I’m grateful for the time I have. It’s nowhere near perfect but I am making the most of it.”

After the operation, Ms Rowe moved to the city, completed an advanced diploma in acting and got on with her life. However in 2014, she started noticing shortness of breath and found out her body was rejecting her lungs.

“I lost a lot of quality of life and I thought I’m not going to make it because my body was not responding to treatment,” she said.

“Then my lungs decided to stop rejecting.”

Ms Rowe, 26, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, and had a double lung transplant in 2010, wants to break down the misconceptions surrounding organ and tissue donation.

Lauren Rowe says an organ transplant is a wonderful treatment but not a cure. She wants to support transplant recipients who don’t have a voice.

Today, with 30 per cent lung capacity, and after returning to live in Raby, Ms Rowe remains focused on her health, her charity and helping others.

She is also a semi-finalist for Women of the Future, an award being run by the Australian Women’s Weekly. Ms Rowe prepares care packs for people undergoing a transplant operation and takes them to hospitals.

The packs contain items including toothbrushes and toothpaste.

She also hosts empowerment days for female organ and tissue donor recipients at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney’s The Rocks.

The days feature make-up artists and fashion stylists.

“I want to help recipients make the transition (post operation) as easy as possible,” she said.

“I also talk to them on a personal nature. I’m there to support the recipients who don’t have a voice. I want them to be realistic.”

Ms Rowe also encourages more people to join the Australian Organ Donor Register as she fears many misconceptions may deter residents from signing up.

The Australian Donation rate is 18.3 donors per million people.

Figures from Transplant Australia show there were 1500 people on the waiting list in 2015.

“People think that if they put their name down to become an organ donor, medical staff won’t try to save your life if you have a serious accident but that’s untrue,” she said.

“Some people think you can’t have an open casket but that’s also not true.

“Your body won’t go to science research. That’s another misconception.”

To vote for Lauren Rowe, visit aww.com.au and follow the links to Women of the Future.