The Story of a Heart by Dr. Rachel Clarke

 Two families, one heart and the medical miracle that saved a child’s life

A girl from Devon and a boy from Cheshire became intertwined by the most tragic circumstances. In 2017 nine-year old Keira Ball was in a car accident which left her brain dead. For several months prior to that accident nine-year old Max Johnson's heart was slowly failing him.  He'd contracted a virus which weaked his heart causing acute cardiomyopothy.

This book is a page turner and takes you on the journey of Keira and Max's lives when they were both happy and healthy children. The experiences of both sets of parents, before the accident and afterwards, will leave you with such empathy for both familes. I did shed a tear or two while reading.

I found this a fascinating book, learned so much such as how ventilators were invented, the beginnings of the first I.C.U. and so much more.  It was explained in laymans terms so I was never lost, it was never a dry narrative.  The coordination between hospitals, doctors and those working with matching the urgent needs for organ donation  is amazing.  I never knew how very detailed this process was.

"Grief, as nurses know better than anyone, is the form love takes when someone dies.  Perhaps grief hurts as much as it ought to - as much and as fiercely as the person who has died was loved."

Here is part of the letter Max's family gave to the anonymous donor family:

"To the donor family, We are writing to you as you hold a very special place in our hearts.  Our son, Max, is 9 and he had a heart transplant.  He was very poorly and a heart transplant was his only chance of coming home and starting a new life.

We are so very sorry that you lost your loved one, but we would like to thank you for the incredibly kind, courageous decison that allowed organs to be donated. We do not know the circumstances, but we can only imagine what a dreadful, harrowing time you have been through and are doubtless still going through, with the loss.

Even in your grief, you have made a selfless decision to help others and we are indescribably  grateful to you....."

Dr. Rachel Clarke is a palliative care doctor and the author of many books. She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and children.

This book are shared with:

Shelleyrae at Book'd Out for the 2025 Nonfiction Reader Challenge. Category: Health

Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday

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