THE family of a Kendal girl who has successfully recovered after receiving a heart transplant are campaigning to change the law on organ donation.

Tracey Wilson, the mother of 13-year-old Skye, who received a new heart in 2009, has so far amassed more than 70,000 signatures on a Change.org petition to switch to the 'opt-out' system for organ donation.

If Tracey is able to collect 100,000 signatures, then the petition will be considered for a debate in Parliament.

In Wales, the opt-out system is already in place, meaning that residents are automatically signed up to donate. If they do not wish to be registered, they must make their wishes known.

"We just feel that Wales have got it and it's worked well there," said Tracey. "There is such a need for organs. You never know what tomorrow's going to bring."

According to data from the Welsh government, dozens of lives have been saved since the opt-out system was introduced last December.

"People think it's never going to happen to them," Tracey said. "There are so many people you talk to that say they will opt in but they have not got round to doing it."

At the age of six Skye was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart becomes weak and enlarged and fails to pump blood properly, after experiencing stomach pains.

Although her parents had feared the worse and had said their final goodbyes to their daughter, Tracey and husband Graeme were 'over the moon' when a donor was found.

Tracey said that Skye is now a passionate dancer and the teenager wants to get the word out about her mum's petition.

"I think it's really good," said Skye, a pupil at the Queen Katherine School. "But there's not as many people who know about it as we want."

Cllr Rachael Hogg, the chair of the Kendal Organ Donor Town, agrees that opt-out would save lives.

Cllr Hogg's husband, Chris, donated a kidney to her in February and the couple have since campaigned to encourage Kendal residents to 'opt-in' for organ donation.

"My thoughts are that I would prefer England to adopt what has happened in Wales because too many people are dying," she said. "We cannot wait for the 'gift' of donations all the time. There's too many people dying every day and things need to change."

Skye knows that she would have lost her life if it had not been for the donor and thinks that the opt-out system would help others like her.

"You will live on if you give your heart or other organs," she said. "You're giving them a chance to live again."

As well as helping her mum with the petition, Skye is also organising a fundraising event to give back to the Children's Heart Unit in Newcastle that saved her life.

Skye, who has been dancing with Dance Atikk for the past four years, will be showcasing her talent at the Westmorland Shopping Centre on July 2 and 9.

Despite sometimes needing to take short breaks during dance lessons, Skye does not struggle to keep up with her friends and now dances at competition level.

Dance teacher Lucy Everett, said that Skye is 'absolutely fantastic' - if a bit cheeky.

"She is a great character," she said. "She should be proud of herself."