Review of Once Upon a Christmas Miracle

This film is just an amazing story which is based on a real story of Heather Krueger and Chris Dempsey and their amazing story.

Heather was told she had less than a few months to live without a new liver, Heather's time was running out when a kind stranger heard her story and then discovered he was a perfect match in more ways than one. They became friends which developed into a romance.

In the film there are a few bits that you think, oh that’s a Hallmark add-on, but nope they really did go on a carriage ride and he proposed there on one knee a year after saving her life after donating part of his liver. Yes, I know it’s another Christmas movie that has transplants as its main theme! I love that it is becoming a topic that is appearing in film, especially a Christmas one. It’s definitely spurring me on to finish writing my book and publish it on Amazon. Anyway, I digress, although it’s a real story it really does feel like a traditional Hallmark movie. The actors who play Heather and Chris tell their story so beautifully.

So this film is based on a true story about a “stranger“ donating part of his liver to Heather and they fall in love. It’s a great film and I would highly recommend watching it! I’m very passionate about spreading awareness of organ donation and people now having that conversation in mainstream media and movies makes it more relatable and easier to understand for many. I did watch an interview of the real life couple and they are planning on adopting so maybe Hallmark will do a sequel.

Again that’s close to my heart and something I feel strongly about raising awareness of.

Recently I have seen an awful situation with a YouTuber who had raised funds to adopt a child from China and after 3 years they’ve “rehomed” him. I hate that this can happen in this day and age. I hate that a child that’s been adopted can still suffer at the hands of his adoptive parent. It’s so sad and it makes me angry. That’s why I’m organising a Magical Christmas party for children in care next Christmas because I never want any other children to go through my own experiences in care or for this poor child who has been sent back.

Anyway I would love to see a second movie with a follow-up to this story following their story more. In the film the whole family rally around Heather and it really was remarkable how many people got tested for her. Unfortunately when I needed a kidney, my husband wasn’t a match and my brother couldn‘t get tested and my mother‘s own kidneys weren’t going to be viable due to her having kidney infections when she was younger leaving them scarred. So with no other options (I was never going to ask my biological family to donate) I too had to turn to our Donor register. Fun fact, like livers you can actually be a living donor to donate as long as you have two healthy ones you can live with one (just in case you didn’t know you only get one donated kidney, not both.)

I was on ‘The List’ for 15 months before I got that call. Luckily for me I didn‘t have the added pressure of funding the operation like they did in America. I can’t imagine how daunting that was to know you had a donor but you might not be able go through the operation. Luckily their town rallied around them and got their medical bills paid for them and Heather could finish becoming a nurse.

Quite a few people have said to me I’m like a character out of a Christmas Hallmark film, from my fashion to my passion for Christmas and just my general bubbly personality and my crazy life story. You really couldn‘t make up my story (sorry Hallmark- you’re great but my life has so many plot twists you really would think it was an over-the-top movie!) Still who knows, maybe my story will be made into a movie one day-you never know! To be honest that would be quite cool!

Right my Festive Friends, I’m off to continue with my projects.