Bude woman who died after car crash helped five other families through organ donation
Her husband says 'some good' came out of their tragedy
A widower from north Cornwall has opened up about how 'some good' came from a family tragedy, thanks to organ donation.
Ian Horrell from Bude lost his wife Linda back in October 2014, after a crash involving a lorry. She was 49-years-old.
He says her decision to sign up to the donor register helped five people go on to have life saving transplants.
“The subject of organ donation first came up when we moved in together. I had to change my doctor to one in Barnstaple and the form asked if I was on the NHS Organ Donor Register, so it prompted a conversation. We both carried organ donor cards but had never talked about it.
"We agreed that when you die, there is no point in not donating because your organs are no good to you once you are gone. Having the conversation really helped as when we lost Lin, the decision was easy. I take comfort knowing that it’s given other people a chance.”
Ian Horrell, Linda's husband
Linda donated her kidneys, pancreatic cells, liver and corneas helping five other people.
“I received a handwritten letter from one of the recipients, it is something I will always treasure. It said how the family had all now joined the NHS Organ Donor Register and how thankful they were to my family. Donation really helped. It was a little light at the end of the tunnel.
"My whole family know my wishes and I would be happy if my story can prompt just one other family to have the conversation. It doesn’t have to be a long conversation, it’s just a case of saying this is what I would like.”
Ian Horrell, Linda's husband
It comes as the NHS launches a new campaign to urge families in Cornwall to talk about organ donation.
The Leave Them Certain campaign aims to highlight the impact not knowing has on the families who are left behind and encourage people talk about their decision. It follows the law change last year in England, which means that all adults are seen as willing to donate their organs, unless they opt out or are in one of the excluded groups.
In Cornwall, 280,586 people are currently on the NHS Organ Donor Register, with 19 people becoming donors in the last year, but the NHS needs more people to talk with their families about their decision. Many still don’t realise that families will still be approached before any donation goes ahead.
Research shows that the biggest barrier to talking about organ donation is that it’s never come up in conversation with 34% of people stating this as their reason. 27% say they are worried it will upset their family or make them feel uncomfortable, 24% feel they don’t need to tell anyone their decision, 22% don’t want to talk about their own death, 22% say they haven’t got round to it yet and 16% have never thought about organ donation before.1
“People often tell us that they struggle to find the right time or words to talk about organ donation, unfortunately we see first-hand the impact not knowing has on families when the first time they consider their loved ones wishes around organ donation is when they are seriously ill or have already died.
"Talk to your friends, talk to your family. Even though the law has changed, you can still sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register to provide your family with added reassurance. Please don’t wait. Have the conversation today.”
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant
The NHS has some produced some tips and guidance to help start the conversation:
• Start by checking in first; ‘how are you doing?’ so you can gauge whether now is a good time. Choose a time when you’re not too distracted or when you’re sharing a space, or time with each other, maybe over a cup of tea or out walking.
• Perhaps there is something that prompts the conversation - passing a driving test, seeing our campaign TV advert, or an article in the paper.
• Open with ‘did you hear’ and not your own point of view; or use a hypothetical ‘how would you feel if…’
• If faith is important to you, open with talking about what you know about your faith’s beliefs on giving.
• Acknowledge it’s a difficult subject and that you don’t have to agree.
Find out more by visiting our dedicated pages at www.organdonation.nhs.uk on how to discuss your decision
For more information on organ donation, and to register your decision, please visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23