Mother praised by This Morning viewers for heartbreaking decision to give birth to stillborn baby to donate her organs
'Anything is better than nothing,' said the brave mother
This Morning viewers were left moved by the selfless actions of guests Hayley Martin and her husband Scott after they decided that they would bring their stillborn daughter into the world so that they can donate her vital organs.
After her baby was diagnosed with Potter's syndrome, Hayley was informed that her daughter would not develop a lot of her major organs.
But in spite of the devastating news, Hayley and Scott have decided to donate daughter Ava-Joy's heart valves and tissue when she is born to help others.
'Throughout the pregnancy, I kept saying I didn't feel pregnant and something was wrong. The only thing that kept telling me that was I had really bad morning sickness,' said Hayley to Ruth and Eammon Holmes on the programme.
Images: ITV/This Morning
'But when I got to about 19 weeks just before my scan. I could lie on my stomach and that’s not normal, I've been pregnant three times before and that wasn't right.'
It was when the pair went to find out the gender of their child that they realised that something had gone wrong.
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'We were in the scan and we were all laughing with each other with the sonographer, and this sonographer just stopped laughing and she went really, really quiet,' said Scott.
'You could hear them having conversations between themselves,' said Hayley.
'I'm lying there and nobody is telling me anything.'
Potter's Syndrome affects a foetus' kidneys and means that they do not grow properly in the womb, affecting their protection in the womb as they do not produce the amniotic fluid needed to cushion them.
'I know she can’t donate proper organs but tissues are just as valuable. And I myself when I pass away, will happily give any of my organs up because I don't need them any more.'
'What they can do is 24 to 48 hours after she passes away, they'll come in and take her away, and with the heart valves they can store them up to 10 years. Anything is better than nothing,' added Hayley.
The story struck a chord with viewers, who took to social media to share their support for the couple.
'Rarely get the chance to see #ThisMorning but just caught that incredible interview with parents expecting a sick baby who are continuing the pregnancy to donate her organs, remarkable people 😢 very sensitive interviewing from @RuthieeL & @EamonnHolmes,' said one.
'#ThisMorning #OrganDonation I've never seen such a brave, courageous, generous couple as the lady and gentlemen who are having a baby who won't survive, but are giving birth to donate valuable organs to others,' another agreed. 'Words fail me. #AvaJoy will live on.'
'It was so very sad, my heart goes out to the parents but what an amazing thing they are doing ♥,' a third audience member wrote.
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