A BRAVE woman who saved and improved the lives of five people by donating her own organs after she died waiting for a transplant has received a posthumous award.

Catherine Amies, who suffered from diabetes, had been on the waiting list for a double kidney and pancreas transplant for two years when she suffered a massive stroke in 2010 and died, at the age of 38.

Her parents, Michael and Elisabeth Amies, from Pershore, agreed to donate her organs.

Yesterday, they were set to receive an award on Catherine’s behalf at St James’s Palace in London, from the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester as just one of 33 people being honoured for showing a particular commitment to promoting organ donation.

Mrs Amies said: “This award underlines how proud we were of Catherine but it also highlights how terribly important organ donors are.”

Mr Amies, who is now chairman of the Worcestershire Acute Hospital Trust Organ Donation Committee and has been instrumental in campaigning to encourage people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, said there was a certain irony to Catherine’s gift.

“We always knew Catherine was a potential organ transplant recipient, but we never expected her to be a donor,” he said.

Toby Amies, Catherine’s brother, said the family were heartbroken and frustrated when she died because there were not enough organs for a transplant sooner, but they were determined to turn it into something positive.

“If there is any point to death, especially a death that seems way too soon, surely it has to be to improve life, to urge those of us that remain to live better than ever before?” he said.

A spokesman for the Order of St John said: “Having the ability to save and improve people’s lives by donating your organs is a wonderful, selfless thing to do and we celebrate this.”

To join the NHS Organ Donor Register visit organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 1232323 or text SAVE to 62323.