Jillian St. James spent her teenage years barely able to walk and confined to her bed.

St. James had a typical childhood, but that all changed when she was 10 or 11.

It began with leg pain, which her family thought was just growing pains.

But it was so excruciating, some days, her mom would have to carry her up and down the stairs.

Finally, she was diagnosed with auto-immune hepatitis, Crohn鈥檚 disease and arthritis.

鈥淚t was like a roller coaster,鈥� St. James described. 鈥淪ome days I would be OK, but that meant having a little bit of energy.

鈥淭he worst days I was in bed all day long.鈥�

St. James tried to slog her way through the pain, mustering up whatever strength she could to go up and down the stairs at school at Brookswood Secondary, not wanting to let her classmates see her pain.

鈥淚 would pretend (everything) was normal, but it hurt so bad,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 kept it a secret from everyone because I just wanted to fit in, even though people knew something was off.鈥�

Besides her family, only her closest friends knew just how bad the pain was.

It got so bad that St. James ended up dropping out of school in Grade 11.

Finally, last year she was admitted to Vancouver General Hospital.

鈥淚 was bright yellow, like a Simpsons鈥� (character),鈥� St. James said with a laugh.

While in hospital, her condition began deteriorating and doctors determined St. James needed a liver transplant.

All three of her older brothers 鈥� Tyson, Elliot and Aaron 鈥� were checked and were matches, but

Aaron turned out to be the most compatible.

鈥淚t was the easiest decision I ever made and the hardest at the same time,鈥� Aaron said.

His concern stemmed from the fact his wife was pregnant, and like any organ donation, there was the risk of him not making it.

His little sister was concerned too.

鈥淚t was hard for me too just because I didn鈥檛 want to risk anyone鈥檚 life just for mine,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey did put their life at risk for me.鈥�

On June 9, doctors removed about 35 per cent of Aaron鈥檚 liver 鈥� they usually take about half, but because of the size difference between the siblings, they took less 鈥� and did a successful transplant.

Aaron was released from hospital within a week, while his sister was there for another three months.

She did have a few infections, but that is fairly normal for a transplant recipient.

Her life has done a 180 since then.

鈥淥nce I was out, I was doing everything that I could,鈥� she said with a smile. 鈥淚 can keep a job, I started school finally.

鈥淚 can start life now. I am a little behind, but I will get there.鈥�

St. James is getting her GED at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

And given a new lease on life, St. James wants to give back.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 just take what my brother gave me and do nothing with it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to get the awareness out that live donors are possible and it is a real gift.鈥�

At the Monday (April 18) Township council meeting, St. James spoke alongside another liver transplant recipient, former politician Chuck Puchmayr.

Puchmayr, a former New Westminster city councillor and MLA, received his new liver in 2009.

Since then, he has attended council meetings to raise awareness on organ donation.

National Organ Donor and Tissue Donor Awareness Week began Sunday (April 17) and runs until April 24.

The campaign aims to focus on increasing online organ donor registration and awareness.

A recent survey shows 85 per cent of people polled said they want to be organ donors, but only 16 per cent follow through and sign up.

鈥淭hat is a real gap and we want to improve that,鈥� he said.

According to the B.C. Transplant Agency, 781,460 people are on the organ donor registry, but that represents just 17 per cent of the provincial population. And there are 390 people currently on the wait list for an organ transplant.

In the Township and the City combined,  the number of people who have signed up to be donors has increased by 2,000, from 17,575 registered donors in 2009 to 19,680.

There are also nine people living in the 91原创s who are donor recipients, Puchmayr said.

Having recipients like St. James is helpful in increasing awareness.

鈥淲hen she came (with me) and did her presentation, you could see all the councillors and staff all choked up,鈥� Puchmayr said.

鈥淚 was all choked up. It really is a great message.

鈥淭his is just a way to thank everyone who is a donor,鈥� St. James said.

鈥淭hey are heroes in my mind,鈥� Puchmayr added.

To register to be an organ donor, visit www.bctransplant.ca.