THE mum of an 11-year-old girl who survived because of a kidney donation has given her full backing to our Opt For Life Campaign.

Ann-Marie Taylor urged everyone to get behind the Evening Times bid for an opt-out transplant system to save more children like her daughter Kaitlin.

Earlier this week we told the amazing story of how Kaitlin got a new kidney after sending a heartbreak letter to Santa begging for help.

Within weeks she got a call from doctors to say they had found her a kidney, and she had the transplant which saved her life.

Mrs Taylor said her daughter would have died without a new kidney because she was gravely ill with an infection and dialysis wasn't helping.

The former nurse from Glasgow's East End said: "I think what the Evening Times is doing with this Opt For Life Campaign is fantastic and I back it 100%.

"I think everyone should get behind it. It's a great idea to turn it around where people have to opt out of organ donation if they don't want to do it rather than the system which is in place now where people have to sign up for it.

"It makes perfect sense and it would save so many lives. The gift of life is an amazing thing to give someone and we can all do it.

"There are so many adults and children on the waiting list we need to get behind the campaign."

Kaitlin was born with only one kidney and that was only 30% functioning.

She couldn't go to school, play out or eat a meal and spent hours hooked up to a kidney dialysis machine.

She now goes swimming and eats her favourite meal of steak pie and broccoli.

A public consultation has been launched for the proposed Organ And Tissue Donation (Scotland) Bill put forward by Glasgow MSP Anne McTaggart calling for an opt-out system.

To take part in the consultation, visit www.annemctaggart.co.uk

janice.burns@eveningtimes.co.uk