Kindred Gift by Leah Barthel - Connected by Chance, Together by Choice
A Gift Before I Go
A Gift Before I Go was created with 2 specific goals in mind.
1. To help grieving children and parents create lasting memories during the most challenging time.
2. To assist with having the conversation with loved ones about end of life wishes.
A Little about us and the creation of A Gift Before I Go
Our journey as a donor family
- In 2011, My mum Chris Barthel died suddenly from a brain aneurysm. Mum had always talked to me about her wishes to become an Organ Donor. Her burning desire for this was fuelled by the grief of becoming a widow at the age of 23. Mum's views were if she could spare another family experiencing the pain that we had, why wouldn't she do it. Her passing was sudden but she gave me the most precious gift, the gift of clarity. Clarity of knowing her wishes if anything ever happened to her. Her final wish came true and through her passing she gifted 3 people life which then started our journey as a Donor Family.
I found dealing with Mum's sudden death hard to comprehend, but even harder for my 2 children Cheyenne and Brock who were just 10 and 8 years of age at the time of their Grandmother’s passing. I wanted to help other parents who were about to face this challenging time, to ensure they could focus on the amazing gift their loved-ones were about to give, whilst also creating lasting memories in their final hours. I'd had the idea to write a book but after receiving a phone call from and old friend, asking if I knew of a book to talk to children about organ donation. I knew I needed to create it.
Cheyenne, my daughter, has given life to the words of ‘A Gift Before I Go’ through her beautiful use of imagery and colour. Cheyenne has done this in a child-like way, as she understands what other children may be experiencing as she has lived it herself.
Turning tragedy into positivity
The events that followed Mum's sudden death were the worst times in my life. But I quickly learnt that out of my greatest pain was to come my biggest growth and it set me on a path to create change and leave a legacy for my beautiful Mum.The best legacy we could ever leave her was to live life to the fullest and make her proud.
In my darkest moments all I could hear was Mum's voice saying "you got me through losing your Dad, it was you". I remember looking at my children, Cheyenne & Brock and hoping that they would do the same for me but in that moment I realised that was my job and my greatest wish for them was that after all they had gone through that they come out the other side empowered with resilience, self confidence, compassion & kindness...........I'm beyond proud that they have and we do what we do as a family for Organ Donation.
A Gift Before I Go
‘A Gift Before I Go’ is a children’s book that addresses the topic of
death and organ donation, while shining a light on the gift of life.
This book was written as a tool to assist parents with this difficult conversation either during, or after the passing of a loved one which can be a very challenging time.
About the Author & Illustrator
Leah wanted to help other parents who were about to face this challenging time, to ensure they could focus on the amazing gift their loved-ones were about to give, whilst also creating lasting memories in their final hours.
Cheyenne, Leah’s daughter, has given life to the words of ‘A Gift Before I Go’ through her beautiful use of imagery and colour. Cheyenne has done this in a child-like way, as she understands what other children may be experiencing.