A mother has met the woman who received her late daughter's hand in a transplant, describing the encounter as 'unreal'. Jackie Kirwan, 65, was heartbroken when her daughter Georgie Peterson passed away at age 33 due to complications from a rare brain malformation.
Emotional reunion
Georgie, from Liverpool, had been on the organ donation registry since she was 17. After her death on August 25, 2025, her mother decided to donate her limbs. Her left hand was given to Kim Smith, 64, who lost her hands and feet in 2017 after contracting sepsis.
The women met earlier this year in what was described as a 'very emotional' experience and later arranged a second meeting. Jackie said: 'We referred to Georgie as our human sunshine. Her opinion was that the body is what you live in, and it's the soul that's important. I'd decided that if Georgie's donor recipient got in touch, I would meet them.'
Jackie added: 'Meeting Kim was unreal. We were both crying, and she told me she was forever grateful and she would look after her hand forever.'
Georgie's medical journey
Georgie was diagnosed with peri ventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH) while completing her A-Levels. This rare brain condition causes neurons to form clumps, leading to focal epilepsy resistant to drug treatment. Jackie recalled: 'Everybody thought Georgie was great, but she believed she was a burden. She struggled with eczema, asthma, and depression, while her only symptoms of PVNH were seizures and being hypermobile.'
By 2023, Georgie's epilepsy became so severe that she could not drive, work, or use public transport alone. She underwent surgery to implant electrodes in her brain, but her seizures increased in May 2025. Jackie found her collapsed in the bathroom, and she passed away after three days in hospital.
Decision to donate
Jackie said: 'It was the easiest decision to agree to the organ donation. Georgie had joined the register when she was 17, but I never realised families still had to sign on their behalf. The nurse asked me about Georgie's limbs, and I stopped for a moment. But Georgie had said it was the soul that was important, and I agreed.'
Although patient confidentiality usually prevents knowing where donations go, Jackie received a letter from Kim thanking her and asking to meet. Jackie admitted: 'My first thought was that I could meet her and hold Georgie's hand. But then I realised that was wrong as it is Kim's hand now – not Georgie's. I think Georgie would be over the moon if she knew what it had done for Kim.'
Kim's story
Kim Smith lost all her limbs after contracting a UTI and developing sepsis while on holiday in Alicante, Spain. She said: 'It is extremely rare for a donor's family and the recipient to meet. I wrote a letter of thanks six weeks after my surgery, but a thank you never seems quite enough. In the letter, I had said I'd love to meet my donor's family, and in February, I had a reply from Jackie.'
Kim described their first meeting at the end of March: 'I didn't think I was nervous until she walked through the door and I was shaking like a leaf! But we chatted like we'd known each other for years. It was lovely. It's so nice that we're still in touch.'
The pair now hope to raise awareness of sepsis and epilepsy while keeping Georgie's memory alive.
