Irene took the decision to donate her son Graeme’s organs and tissues after he died in 2020, aged 40.

She is in touch with Stephen Hake, who received Graeme’s lungs, and Irene, Graeme and Stephen’s names are three of the 366 signatures highlighted in the new sculpture.

Graeme McCusker had lived with his mum Irene in Alloa since he was three, the middle child with an older brother Stuart and younger sister Mhairi. He was a comic from the start, with a cheeky smile, always wanting to make people laugh.

He never knew what he wanted to do despite excelling at school, having won a number of academic awards. He enjoyed geography, Italian and accounting but after enrolling at college to study for an accounting qualification, he ultimately decided it was not the right path for him.

As a sociable person who loved meeting new people, Graeme was drawn to the retail sector, working as a kilt hire manager in a small department store until he was made redundant through retirement. He went on to work in a bingo hall, as a ‘jack of all trades’ doing a bit of everything such as bar work or number calling.

Over the years, Graeme had developed an alcohol dependency due to some past trauma and had reached out for support and treatment. However, whilst awaiting this, in 2020 he developed vomiting bouts which went unexplained. He was unable to keep anything down in these times, including alcohol, and the subsequent withdrawal he experienced led to him having seizures.

Finally, he had a seizure that he never came round from and he suffered a cardiac arrest. Irene kept Graeme alive by carrying out CPR on him until the paramedics arrived and they were able to restart his heart, but he never regained consciousness.

Graeme, aged 40, was kept alive by a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit for six days however tests showed he’d experienced too much brain damage as a result of his latest seizure. He was first admitted on a Saturday and the following Wednesday, the doctors approached Irene to speak about organ donation.

Graeme had always carried a donor card in his wallet for as long as Irene can remember, certainly since he passed his driving test. He always said: “It’s a no-brainer Mum, what use is your body after you’re gone, when you could be helping someone else to live.”

When the doctors spoke to Irene about organ donation, she’d never been through a darker time, but this opportunity offered a glimmer of positivity for her, that some good could come out of this tragedy, that it wasn’t all in vain.

On Thursday 4^th September 2020, as the life support machine was due to be switched off, Irene, Stuart and Mhairi sat by Graeme’s bed all evening. They wanted his last hours to be positive, so they chatted and laughed with him, reminiscing about his childhood, his love for football, music and silly jokes. All the close-knit family hoped was that Graeme could hear and feel the love surrounding him.

Eventually a nurse came. “Sorry Irene, it’s time…” she said.

Later that day, Irene was sitting with a friend on her patio, feeling desperate. A white feather floated down and danced at her feet, and then moved and danced at her friend’s feet. She’d never seen anything like it, and it felt as though Graeme had come to reassure her that he was at peace.

One recipient received both of Graeme’s lungs, which was lifesaving. His kidneys went to a further two recipients, and he also donated eye tissue.

Irene explained: “I know some families feel like it might be damaging their loved one, but they’re gone. All that remains is a shell and it’s a lovely feeling to know that a part of Graeme is living on and benefitting someone else.”

In February 2021, Irene was contacted by Stephen Hake, the man who received Graeme’s lungs. She was overjoyed to receive his handmade card, telling her how he’d been given a second chance. He told Irene how he speaks to Graeme every day and how he can now do things he couldn’t before, like playing golf and when he’s out on the course, he looks to the sky and thanks Graeme for his kindness and generosity.

Irene said: “It was very emotional to receive Stephen’s card but reading what it meant to him and the difference it had made to his life really lifted my spirits that dark winter’s day.”

Since then, Irene and Stephen have kept in touch periodically, through letters and phone calls, but she felt she needed to take it slowly as everything continued to be very raw for her.

When Irene heard about a project happening at Forth Valley Royal Hospital to create a memorial sculpture to celebrate all the donors, recipients and those working in the Organ and Tissue Donation teams who have contributed so much over the years, she called Stephen to ask him if he wanted to take part by submitting his signature for the sculpture.

Irene explained: “My niece is a midwife at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and she told me about the sculpture. I was really pleased to be involved, it gave me something to focus on at that point. I told Stephen about the sculpture so he could also submit his name, and I am hoping to arrange to meet him in person so that we view the new sculpture together.”

The Organ and Tissue Donation Memorial Sculpture at Forth Valley Royal Hospital was created by artist Hans K Clausen. This memorial was conceived by donors, recipients, clinicians and supporters on NHS Forth Valley’s Organ and Tissue Donation Committee.

The colourful, vibrant sculpture is both a memorial and a celebration of organ donation and transplant, bringing together a community of 366 people (through the unique gesture of handwritten signatures with a name for each day of the year including leap years). Signatures were submitted by transplant recipients, organ donors and their relatives, potential donors, and members of NHS staff who directly or indirectly facilitate the donor and transplant process.

Irene McCusker (right) is pictured with her daughter Mhairi at the official launch of the Organ & Tissue Donation Memorial Sculpture.