Brittany Nicole Cail graduated from Torrance High School in Southern California, June of 2007. That summer she decided to go to New Orleans to visit her grandparents. She ended up loving it there and decided to call it home. She obtained a job in food service at the local hospital, Slidell Memorial, and loved it. January of 2008 her mom, Raquel, went for a visit and Brittany was very proud of the fact that she had just gotten her driver’s license. She told her mom she was an organ donor and if something ever happened she wanted her eyes to be donated because they were her favorite feature. Raquel acknowledged her, but didn’t want to talk about the subject in detail. She didn’t know that three months later she would be faced with the decision of donating Brittany’s organs.

At the young age of 19, on April 4, 2008, Brittany was in a tragic car accident which left her in a coma. Her life ended April 9, 2008 after complications from a blood clot. Brittany was declared brain dead and on life support. Her mother had remembered the conversation earlier in the year about Brittany wanting her eyes to be donated if something ever happened, so they were able to honor Brittany’s wishes.

Brittany’s gift of organ donation saved three lives and affected the lives of many others. Brittany’s gift of her right kidney was received by Erica, who was on the transplant waiting list for over 7 years. We received news that she is doing very well. Brittany’s gift of her liver was given to Kimberly and her left kidney and pancreas were given to Joseph, a husband and father of one.

Brittany’s other gifts consisted of bone grafts that were distributed throughout the country to states such as California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Missouri , Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio and Washington D.C. These gifts will be used to perform reconstructive surgery, spinal fusions and oral surgery.

Brittany’s gifts of skin have enabled surgeons to perform reconstructive surgeries for individuals who have suffered server burns, these gifts were sent to medical facilities in Virginia and Iowa.
Brittany’s donation of her heart valves were distributed to medical facilities in Missouri and Pennsylvania and were used to benefit those with complex heart defects and well as those with heart disease. Brittany’s corneas were donated to the LSU eye center for research on macular degeneration.

Recently Brittany’s mother, Raquel, became a Donate Life Ambassador and spends much of her time volunteering with OneLegacy and sharing Brittany’s story to encourage others to become registered donors.

Clearly Brittany’s decision to be an organ donor has made a remarkable and widespread impact on the lives of many. Her mother hopes to carry on the legacy by being Brittany’s voice and making sure everyone she meets knows how important it is to make the choice to be a donor.