By DANIEL TRAN
IN the last few seconds of her life, Michelle Parker looked her father, mother and husband in the eye and told them she loved them. Then she closed her eyes.
When her life support machine was turned off earlier this year, she was aged just 29.
A scan would later reveal Ms Parker had suffered a massive brain haemorrhage.
When Kumar Siriwardene remembers his daughter, it’s impossible not to hear the love in his voice.
“She probably crammed 50 years worth of life into her 29 years,” he says fondly. “She enjoyed her life thoroughly, up to the last day she lived.”
Early last year, the Keysborough father was on the phone to his daughter about 6.30pm. She was unwell and thought she was coming down with a cold.
But about 10pm, the Siriwardenes received a call from their new son-in-law, saying their daughter had collapsed and was screaming in pain.
Dropping everything, they sped to the young couple’s home. But by the time they got there, she had already collapsed and had been revived by the paramedics. The ambulance took Ms Parker to Dandenong Hospital. Her mother rode with her; her father and husband were driving behind them. By the time they arrived, she had already been admitted and was taken to a cubicle.
“She looked at me and said, ‘Dad, I love you’, looked at Sherryl and said ‘Mum, I love you’ and looked at Ash and said ‘Ash, I love you’ and she just closed her eyes.”
A scan revealed a major bleed in her brain and she was rushed to Monash Medical Centre but surgeons could not save her.
Mr and Mrs Siriwardene are registered organ donors and their daughter shared their sentiment.
With the blessing of Ash, Ms Parker’s next of kin, the donation process started and her donation would go on to save six lives.
Mr Siriwardene has since been actively involved in the organ donation program at the Monash Medical Centre and Dandenong Hospital.
As part of his efforts, he is raising money to refurbish the family room that he and his family used at the Monash Medical Centre when his daughter was in the intensive care unit.
A fund-raiser will be held at the Clayton RSL at 7.30pm on Friday. All proceeds will go to the refurbishment. Cost: $10. Details: southernhealth.org.au.
