THE father of a young mum—given the chance of life with a double lung transplant — is urging people to sign up to the donor register.

Natalie Kerr, aged 30, was given a death sentence four years ago, but since having a double-lung transplant five days ago she is now awake and looking towards the future she thought she would never have.

Natalie’s father Eric Kerr, aged 54, said: “The donation has come just at the right time because she was going downhill and getting weaker.

“She felt that by the end of the year she probably wouldn’t have been here.

“I really would encourage people to sign up to donate their organs because there are so many people waiting, it is so important.”

The mum-of-two was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2008, and told she had only a few years to live.

After a fundraising appeal in The Bolton News raised £40,000, Miss Kerr, from Adlington, went to America in 2009, for stem cell treatment to prolong her life.

But the former Royal Bolton Hospital nurse began to deteriorate rapidly.

Mr Kerr said: “I would love to say thank you to the donor from the bottom of my heart.

“It means Natalie has now got time with her children and can watch them grow up.

“The life they have given my daughter won’t be wasted because she will look after her life, she will care for her new organs, she won’t mistreat them.

“This has made so many people happy, not only us and her children and her friends, but the people waiting for transplants will also be encouraged.

Miss Kerr, who has kept a photograph of her children, fouryear- old Isabelle and Brendon, aged nine, by her bedside at Wythenshawe Hospital, has been recovering well following the operation.

She is hoping to be moved out of the intensive care unit and to a normal ward next week.

Mr Kerr is appealing for people to join the donor register.

For more information about the donor register call 0300 1232323