Basingstoke mother proudly saved life with son's donated organs

A mother who donated organs to her son who died at the age of seven said, “I am so proud of my son for saving his life.''

In May 2021, Basingstoke resident Debbie Kerr made the difficult decision to donate Frankie's organs and is urging other parents to consider doing the same.

Frankie was born with a rare genetic brain disorder that left her unable to speak and “the mental age of a baby,” Kerr said.

The NHS says organ donation consents have fallen by 61% across the UK, with more than 7,600 people waiting for life-saving transplants.

“I was told I had five to 10 years to live,” Kerr said.

“It took me a long time to figure that out.”

She said the family was determined to “give him the best life possible.”

They were able to take Frankie on holidays and Mr Kerr said it was a source of great pride as Frankie went to Saxon Wood School in Basingstoke.

Remembering her son, she said, “I loved him very much.

“Everyone who met him fell in love with him. He had an aura about him.”

Frankie was hospitalized approximately 35 times during his short life.

His condition left him suffering from seizures and dystonia, muscle spasms caused by disrupted brain signals.

In 2021, he was taken to Basingstoke Hospital with a torsion of the intestine and underwent surgery, before being put on a ventilator as doctors tried to manage his condition.

Kerr said the family made the decision to turn off Frankie's ventilator after “obviously Frankie was very uncomfortable.”

“I remember putting my hand on his heart and listening to the sound slow down as I hugged him and kissed him,” she said.

After Frankie's death, the family decided to donate his organs.

Ms Kerr said the decision was incredibly difficult to make, but her family was lucky to have had time to process it.

“That's something no parent should ever have to go through,” she said.

“I can't explain it, but it just felt like the right thing to do,” Kerr said of the decision.

She said the family is happy to know that their “Frankie Pants” is “living because of someone else” and can help those who are suffering.

“We are crying but happy through this terrible ordeal,” she said.

Two weeks after his death, the donation team found a match for his kidney.

Kerr said she was proud that her son's “tiny kidney was able to help a grown man.”

She said she would like to meet the people who received Frankie's organs, but understands that may not happen.

Three years after her son's death, Debbie wanted to encourage others to consider organ donation.

She said: “It’s very comforting, it’s great to know you’re helping others live a healthy life.

“We couldn't save my son, but we were able to save others. We would do it again in a heartbeat.”