Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... A Life Everlasting : the extraordinary gift of Thomas Ethan Gray (edition 2016)by Sarah Gray (Author)
Work InformationA Life Everlasting: The Extraordinary Story of One Boy's Gift to Medical Science by Sarah Gray
None Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. So, this book made me cry, repeatedly, and surprisingly, in a good way. I'd had this book on my to-read pile for a while and I was reluctant to read it because books about dead babies don't exactly make for fun, light reading. Thankfully, this book, while heartbreaking at times, is also filled with hope and gratitude. After learning that one of her twin sons had a fatal condition and would not live long, the author made the decision to donate his remains to medical research and this book tells the tale of how those donations were used and the incredible resulting research. There's a lot of information about how organ donation works, the medical research which can only be done with human tissue donation, and intriguing hope for treatments made possible by donations. And yes, I'm sentimental enough that a story about people helping others and medical research that leads to curing disease brings me tears of joy. ( ) When a mother to be hears that one of her twins has a fatal birth defect, she investigates donation as a way of giving his life meaning. A year after his death the author realizes she needs to know what happened to his donation. This leads to a journey that not only provides comfort but changes the mother’s life. This story will change the way you think about donating not only for transplant purposes, but also for research. no reviews | add a review
A donor mother's powerful memoir of grief and rebirth that is also a fascinating medical science whodunit, taking us inside the world of organ, eye, tissue, and blood donation and cutting-edge scientific research. When Sarah Gray received the devastating news that her unborn son Thomas was diagnosed with anencephaly, a terminal condition, she decided she wanted his death--and life--to have meaning. In the weeks before she gave birth to her twin sons in 2010, she arranged to donate Thomas's organs. Due to his low birth weight, they would go to research rather than transplant. As transplant donors have the opportunity to meet recipients, Sarah wanted to know how Thomas's donation would be used. That curiosity fueled a scientific odyssey that leads Sarah to some of the most prestigious scientific facilities in the country, including Harvard, Duke, and the University of Pennsylvania. Pulling back the curtain of protocol and confidentiality, she introduces the researchers who received Thomas's donations, held his liver in their hands, studied his cells under the microscope. Sarah's journey to find solace and understanding takes her beyond her son's donations--offering a breathtaking overview of the world of medical research and the valiant scientists on the horizon of discovery. She goes behind the scenes at organ procurement organizations, introducing skilled technicians for whom death means saving lives, empathetic counselors, and the brilliant minds who are finding surprising and inventive ways to treat and cure disease through these donations. She also shares the moving stories of other donor families. A Life Everlasting is an unforgettable testament to hope, a tribute to life and discovery, and a portrait of unsung heroes pushing the boundaries of medical science for the benefit of all humanity. No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNone
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)362.196830092Social sciences Social problems and services; associations Social problems of & services to groups of people People with physical illnesses Services to people with specific conditions Diseases Diseases of nervous system and mental disorders Other organic diseases of central nervous systemLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |