Three organ transplant recipients and one organ donor hand-delivered some Christmas cheer in the form of big tins of popcorn to 91原创 Memorial Hospital鈥檚 physicians and nurses in the Intensive Care Unit and operating room last week (Dec. 17).

鈥淲e try to go to as many hospitals as we can this time of year,鈥� said heart transplant recipient Kristy Coldwell.

鈥淭hey may lose a patient here and those persons organs may save a life somewhere else. We want to acknowledge the work they do.鈥�

The 30-year-old Cloverdale woman received her new heart at the age of 17 after having congenital heart failure and three surgeries to keep her alive.

鈥淚鈥檓 getting married in June, I鈥檓 working.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of rejection medication we have to take but we aren鈥檛 complaining. It鈥檚 amazing to have the 12 years I鈥檝e had.鈥� Coldwell was team captain for 鈥淥peration Popcorn.鈥�

The group said it鈥檚 important to let the doctors and nurses see the 鈥渓iving results鈥� of all their hard work.

鈥淎 group like this shows them the work they do saves lives. At LMH, they deal with the tragic side of the story because the transplants take place at Vancouver General,鈥� said BC Transplant鈥檚 Megan Williams.

鈥淏ut you never know where a potential donor can come from.鈥�

This year marks the most transplants B.C. has ever seen, at just over 300.

When they made up the cards last week for the popcorn, it read 287. That鈥檚 how many more transplants have taken place in such a short time.

For double lung transplant recipient Darvy Culleton, 35, this time of year is extra special, but not because it鈥檚 Christmas.

鈥淚 had my transplant, Dec. 19, 2006,鈥� said the Coquitlam resident. He was born with cystic fibrosis.

鈥淣ow he is breathing better and enjoying life.

Don Campbell, 46, is on his third kidney transplant, but this one has 鈥渨orked the best,鈥� he said.

He has participated in Operation Popcorn six times because he feels it is that important to let doctors know the important work they do.

Todd Reid, 36, gave his kidney to his best friend of 20 years on July 6, 2010.

鈥淗e was dying. It was a no brainer. I鈥檇 do it again. Ten people were tested and I was a match,鈥� he said.

Reid lost his mom the year prior to him donating his kidney. She died waiting for a liver, he said.

To register to be an organ donor or to find out more go to transplant.bc.ca or go to the Facebook page.