Lung donation gives Sanford 8-year-old another chance at life [Video]

Organ donations are at a record high in New England, with an 80% increase since 2020. New England Donor Services say there were 648 organ donors last year, which led to 1,570 organ transplants across New England in 2024. That includes 78 donors and 183 transplants here in Maine. Each recipient was given a new chance at life. One of those recipients was an 8-year-old girl. Emily King had a lung transplant this past July. She’s doing well, but still recovering. Her mom, Stephanie King, said Emily can’t go back to school yet or have much contact with the outside world. However, this wasn’t her first transplant. At just 2 years old, her lungs were failing. She was running out of options and time.”That’s when transplant started to be the only option left,” King said.Not even two days later, Emily had a new set of lungs because, unfortunately for another …