A charity set up by heart transplant patient Jo Hatton is to be boosted by a memorial album.

The CD is being planned by singer Jacquie Wright, who herself had a heart transplant in 1993.

Jo, of Oakworth Road, Keighley, died last year aged 45 after living for 13 years with a new heart and lung.

In 1995 she and her husband Phil launched the Transplant Support Network, which now has an office at the Disabled People's Centre in Keighley.

The charity will benefit from the proceeds of a new album to be recorded by up-and-coming singer Jacquie, who befriended Jo at the time of her own transplant operation.

"I met Jo at Papworth Hospital when I was referred there for my assessment," said the London-based performer.

"Jo was amazing. She did strike me as a real go-getter. I was very impressed with her."

The pair struck up a friendship and now Jacquie wants to pay tribute to Jo by donating some of the proceeds from a specially-recorded album to the Trans-plant Support Network as well as raising money for Papworth's own appeal.

"I want to give something back and if it goes well I'd like to set up my own appeal as well," said Jacquie.

Jacquie was in the final year of a European business degree course at Brunel University when she became ill at the end of 1992.

After being diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, she underwent her transplant the following year. She went on to complete her studies and has since concentrated on her singing career. She has had records released in Europe but has yet to make a breakthrough in the UK.

She plans to record a mix of cover versions and her own material for the fundraising album. It is hoped the CD will be in the shops by the end of the year.

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