Salisbury mum urging families to have organ donation discussion after death of her son
New stats show how many people were saved by donations last year
Last updated 16th Jul 2021
A Salisbury mum whose son donated some of his organs when he passed away says families need to have the difficult discussion about it.
Julie Pearce lost her son Jack at the age of 20 and he had previously signed up to become an organ donor on his 17th birthday, when applying for a driving license.
Julie said she wasn't keen when he first mentioned it, but Jack had told her that if he dies he would like someone else to be able to live their life because of it.
Jack died after a blood clot was discovered in his neck, which caused him to have a stroke and a cardiac arrest.
The nurse looking after him approached Julie and said how impressed they were with his organ donor form and the amount of detail he had gone into on it.
Julie admitted that she was very hesitant at first as she didn't want part of her son taken away.
However, Jack's organs have gone on to change the lives of three people, something that she is very proud of:
"I couldn't be anymore proud of him. I always remember him saying to me I could do good mum, I could do good. When I found out that his organ donations had been successful, I sort of felt that Jack had not died he had just moved on, his spirit has gone but his organs are now in someone else and giving someone else a new life. One was life saving and the other two were life changing, so if it wasn't for Jack and his brave decision the gentleman who had the liver wouldn't be here now, he was 45 with two teenage children and my Jack has given him maybe the rest of his life to see his children grow up.
"I think that the conversation about donation might not be a nice one for many people but it's an important one. This needs to be out there as there are so many people suffering and donation can help them to have a completely different life."
MORE THAN 250 HAD THEIR LIVES SAVED IN THE SOUTH WEST
A new report which has been published today by NHS Blood and Transplant shows that, despite a difficult year for the health service, 268 people in the South West were given a second chance at life thanks to an organ transplant.
It shows that across the UK, levels were sustained at 75% of normal deceased donation activity and around 80% of normal transplant activity.
In total, 3,391 people in the UK had their lives saved thanks to 1,180 people donating their organs after death.
John Forsythe, Medical Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, says:
"This past year has been completely unprecedented in the history of the NHS, as well as in our wider society. So, the fact that 268 people in the South West received an organ transplant is amazing.
"Each one of us in the wider clinical team of donation and transplant, across the UK, are immensely proud of the work to keep organ donation and transplants happening in the most challenging circumstances. But our commitment is nothing compared with donors and their families - the gift of life has been donated by 162 people in the South West in the midst of a tragedy made even more difficult by Covid restrictions.
"However incredible this achievement, we mustn't forget that there are still thousands of people in need of lifesaving organ transplants and we are doing our utmost to work with clinical teams and donor families to try and close the gap between those receiving a transplant and those still waiting."
There are still 373 people in our region waiting for that life saving transplant.
A change of the law in England last year means that it's assumed people want to be a donor after they die, unless they register otherwise.
However, people still do have a choice and families will be consulted before any donation goes ahead.
To find out more about becoming an organ donor visit the NHS website.