Ollie became an organ donor

When parents Brad and Katie said a final farewell to their 2-year-old son Ollie, he left a legacy they could never have expected. 

Ollie’s life was quite normal until he turned one year old. 

From then on, his health rapidly declined. He endured many respiratory illnesses, multiple admissions to hospital, and over time his little body continued to weaken. It is likely that Ollie was suffering from an undiagnosed genetic variant of muscular dystrophy. 

‘He was such a little soldier through it all,’ his parents recalled. 

Ollie is remembered by his mum and dad as a cheeky little boy, who had a great capacity to make everyone around him smile. 

One of their treasured memories is recalling when Ollie escaped through a dog door at home, then turning back to see his parents smiling at him after being able to crawl outside. 

‘In his final days, Ollie had such a strong will, but physically he was just not strong enough to overcome his challenges. He was just too tired to keep fighting,’ said Brad and Katie. 

When they were asked to consider organ donation, they had no hesitation.  

‘It was very organic to talk about donation. It felt like a natural part of his end-of-life care,’ said Brad and Katie. ‘It was something we knew if Ollie was older and was able to decide for himself, he would leap at it.’ 

After a courageous battle in his 2 short years, Ollie was able to donate his kidneys to help someone live freely without the need for dialysis. Ollie’s parents are very proud that he could donate his kidneys and take great comfort in knowing he was able to give something so precious. 

While the impact of losing their son is still very raw, the thought that another person is living a better life because of their decision helps with their grieving. 

Ollie’s dad Brad feels like their decision has helped build a legacy – a lasting memory of Ollie’s generosity.