By writer to www.trussvilletribune.com
By Crystal McGough
TRUSSVILLE – In 1974, 27-year-old Trussville resident Nancy Smith acquired information that will change not solely her life, however the lives of her household, buddies, group, and the medical transplant group as a complete.
The information was that Nancy had been born with a congenital coronary heart drawback known as Atrial Septal Defect, a situation which causes a gap within the wall between the center’s higher chambers.
Film poster for “A Soul Stuffed Life,” submitted by Stan Smith
Nancy was despatched to Dr. John Kirklin, for whom UAB’s Kirklin Clinic is called, in hopes that the outlet in her coronary heart may very well be closed. Nonetheless, after many checks, they decided that the outlet couldn’t be closed. Nancy was informed to take treatment, comply with her physician’s directions, and she or he might reside 5 years.
“That was in 1974,” Nancy’s husband Stan Smith stated. “Effectively, in 1987 – that’s an extended 5 years – she began having slightly bit extra issues.”
The Smiths’ household practitioner despatched Nancy to see Dr. Jim Kirklin, the son of Dr. John Kirklin, who was doing coronary heart transplants at UAB.
They found that Nancy’s coronary heart was enlarged and had broken her lungs. Because of this, she couldn’t have a coronary heart transplant with out additionally changing each lungs. Dr. Kirklin informed Nancy that she wanted a coronary heart/double-lung transplant for her specific situation, Eisenmenger Syndrome.
Nonetheless, coronary heart/double-lung transplants have been a brand new idea and had not been carried out at UAB at the moment. Moreover, with the intention to do the process, the center and each lungs wanted to come back from the identical donor.
“That they had simply began that program at UAB they usually truly wished Nancy to be the primary (to get the process),” Smith stated. “She didn’t need to. She stated, ‘I would like you to get the bugs labored out of it.’”
Eleven-year-old Scott Parrish, was an organ donor by his personal alternative. Following a tragic accident in 1989, his selfless determination saved the lives of 4 folks, together with Nancy Smith. Photograph submitted by Stan Smith
Because it turned out, Nancy was the third particular person, and first lady, to obtain a coronary heart/double-lung transplant at UAB Hospital. Nancy’s donor was a younger boy from Eufaula, Alabama, named Scott Parrish, who tragically had a deadly mind damage after getting hit by a automobile whereas using his bicycle.
“Scott will all the time be my hero,” Smith stated on his Fb web page.
On Oct. 3, 1989, Nancy’s transplant surgical procedure was full. Ten years later, nevertheless, Nancy found that the treatment she had been taking broken her kidneys to the purpose of needing a kidney transplant. In 1999, Nancy underwent her second organ transplant when her sister, Dolores Traylor, donated a kidney to her. The process went properly for each sisters.
Nancy handed away in September 2007, on the age of 61, about two weeks wanting the 18th anniversary of her coronary heart and lung transplant.
Sisters Nancy Smith and Dolores Traylor after a profitable kidney transplant
For a few years, Stan Smith has been on the lookout for methods to share his spouse’s story, and the hope that’s provided by way of organ transplant. In 2019, a possibility to share Nancy’s story on a bigger scale arose when Austin Wiggins, a member of Smith’s church, began a life group for artistic images and videography.
“It’s humorous how God places folks in your life,” Smith stated. “Austin, to me, was a type of people who received put in on the proper time.”
On the time, Wiggins was on workers as Inventive Director at Religion Group Fellowship, in Trussville. Through the life group’s September 2019 assembly, he requested the group if anybody had an thought for a testimonial-style documentary movie.
“He went across the desk asking for concepts, and I occurred to be the final one,” Smith stated. “I’ve been attempting to inform my spouse’s story, about her going by way of the center/double-lung transplant, after which the kidney transplant, and all that’s transpired from that. They thought it was a good suggestion, so we began writing a script.”
Smith started going by way of outdated VHS tapes of his spouse and of shows he had made about her transplant journey. The group additionally started conducting interviews and filming at numerous places, together with Trussville’s Cahaba Springs. In addition they filmed some scenes in Eufaula, the place Scott Parrish’s household lives. Scott’s mom, Donna, supplied a written testimony, which is learn within the movie by Smith’s niece.
Left to proper: Dolores Traylor (sister and kidney donor), Larry Traylor, Nancy Smith, Don and Donna Parrish (Scott Parrish’s mother and father) and Stan Smith. Photograph submitted by Stan Smith
“Additionally, we had the letters that Nancy had despatched to (Donna),” Smith stated. “Tammy (Stan and Nancy’s daughter) learn Nancy’s half and my niece learn Donna’s letters again to Nancy.”
The movie, which is co-directed by Smith and Wiggins, begins with Scott Parrish’s story: an 11-year-old boy who on Oct. 2, 1989, turned an organ donor, saving the lives of 4 folks, together with Nancy.
“The primary a part of the film is devoted to him, and his mom telling his story,” Smith stated.
The film, titled “A Soul Stuffed Life,” was accomplished in June 2021 and premiered at Religion Group Fellowship in Trussville on July 17, with over 100 folks in attendance. A second screening passed off on the church on Oct. 17, with about 25-30 folks in attendance, together with Dr. Jim Kirklin and his spouse.
“My expertise co-directing ‘A Soul Stuffed Life’ was that of pure astonishment,” Wiggins stated. “My eyes have been opened extensive to a world that I used to be largely oblivious to earlier than. Working intently with Stan and his household and studying about Nancy’s story — and lots of different organ donor/recipient tales alongside the best way — has had an enduring impression on my life. It’s my want for all who view the movie to be affected equally.”
Left to proper: Stan Smith and Austin Wiggins, co-directors of “A Soul Stuffed Life”
Photograph submitted by Stan Smith
“A Soul Stuffed Life” has been accepted into the Rome Worldwide Movie Competition and might be proven on the historic DeSoto Theatre in Rome, Ga., on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 10 a.m. EST. Tickets might be buy on the theater and passes to the competition might be bought at riffga.com.
“The concept behind this entire film is to indicate that transplantation actually works,” Smith stated. “That’s the purpose, to indicate Nancy’s story and that it actually works, but in addition to encourage folks to be an organ and tissue donor.”
