THE family of a woman whose life was cut short waiting for organ donation have found solace in the fact that she has helped save a life since her death.

Catherine Amies, the adopted daughter of Michael and Elisabeth Amies, of Pershore, lost her fight against kidney failure and diabetes last month. She was 38 and had suffered from diabetes since she was 10.

After her death, her liver was immediately used for a life-saving transplant for another woman, while eight other people could also benefit from her becoming a donor.

Catherine underwent dialysis treatment three times a week and had been waiting for a double kidney and pancreas transplant for about two years.

Mr Amies said the family was unaware that Catherine had registered as an organ donor; only finding out the news when she died.

He said: “Catherine was a potential organ transplant recipient, but in the end she was a donor.

“The surprise for us was that medical staff went through a very sensitive process of making sure we were comfortable with the donor system.

“It was a very difficult and emotional thing to go through, but it gave us reassurance. Even though Catherine had signed up, we could still have said no.

“We would very much like to see the opt-out system – whereby everyone is a donor unless they choose not to be – introduced here in Britain. The difference it would make to the number of potential donors would be huge.

“Everybody has something to give.”

A service of remembrance was held at Pershore Abbey on Friday in which Catherine’s family spoke of their comfort in knowing that her death would sustain life for other people.

Speaking at the service, Elisabeth said: “Her death was heartbreaking and untimely. But her gift of life and promise to so many people has helped us enormously.

“What more of a generous legacy could she have left us with?”

Catherine attended Church Lench School, St Mary’s Convent, Worcester, and Adcote School, Shropshire, before finishing her education at Canyon Del Oro High School in Arizona, in America.

She later went on to work for the International Diabetes Unit in Australia