We wouldn't be here for Christmas without the DONORS that saved us: The uplifting stories of 12 patients who received help just in time

The choice to donate a cherished one's organs within the midst of mourning their loss will not be straightforward. 

Nevertheless it's one that may have essentially the most profound impact: saving another person's life.

There are 6,500 individuals — together with 150 kids — on the ready listing for a transplant, however a scarcity of donors means too many by no means have the life-saving operation. 

Prior to now 12 months, 463 individuals have died ready.

There are 6,500 individuals — together with 150 kids — on the ready listing for a transplant, however a scarcity of donors means too many by no means have the life-saving operation

As Good Well being has highlighted with our Finish The Donor Scarcity marketing campaign, there is a determined want for organs, and at this time NHS Blood And Transplant launches a brand new drive to encourage individuals to affix the organ donor register.

Simply what this implies could be seen within the tales of the 12 individuals right here, who're solely in a position to have fun Christmas this 12 months due to the courageous, selfless choices made by their donor households.

Right here they clarify what this treasured reward has meant to them...

FELIX

Felix Barclay, aged 4, was born with a genetic dysfunction that broken his liver. 

Felix, who lives in Aberdeen with dad and mom Marian, 32, a midwife, Alan, 47, an IT engineer, and brother Jasper, seven months, had a transplant in June. 

His mom says:

Watching your youngster being wheeled right down to the working theatre for such a critical operation is essentially the most harrowing expertise.

It was the longest six hours of our lives, ready to be advised whether or not the transplant had been successful.

Felix was solely 4 weeks outdated when he was identified with Alagille syndrome, which meant bile constructed up in his liver, damaging it.

We would by no means anticipated it to be something so critical. 

Felix Barclay, aged 4, was born with a genetic dysfunction that broken his liver. He lives in Aberdeen along with his dad and mom, and had a transplant in June

He hadn't been fairly proper since he was born, unsettled and floppy, and when the well being customer examined him for jaundice, his outcomes have been massively excessive.

At two, his liver was failing and he developed fatty lumps throughout his physique which damage when he ran into issues, and he was continuously itching.

The guide mentioned it was higher if he had a transplant whereas he was nonetheless wholesome, so regardless that it was a dangerous operation, we knew it was the most effective time to do it.

Felix had the transplant three weeks after happening the listing. The very first thing I seen was how white his eyeballs have been. It introduced tears to my very own eyes. He is doing so nicely.

I used to suppose he was shy — however I realise now it will need to have been as a result of he felt so unwell as he is now enjoying fortunately with different kids his age. 

It is a tremendous reward of life that he is been given, and its all due to his donor.

BRIAN

Brian Madden, 60, a storage proprietor, lives in West Lothian with accomplice Irene Reid, 66, a retired gross sales rep. 

He had a lung transplant in March after affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a illness which causes progressive scarring of the lungs. 

He says: 

Kicking a ball with my eight-year-old grandson Jamie was essentially the most emotional second for me after having my transplant. 

He mentioned: 'grandad, come and play soccer with me,' and I used to be really in a position to do it. 

I might been in a wheelchair the 12 months earlier than, on oxygen, and unable to take even a number of steps. 

Brian Madden, 60, had a lung transplant in March after affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a illness which causes progressive scarring of the lungs

Now right here I used to be kicking a ball round. I may even get out of the automobile and stroll to my entrance door. 

The surgeon had advised me that the one factor that will save me was a transplant, but it surely wasn't till afterwards that he mentioned my lungs had been in such a foul state he thought I had solely two weeks left.

It is not been all plain crusing — I am affected by rejection issues in the intervening time, however the remedy needs to be profitable and I am nonetheless feeling good and nicely in myself.

I do not know what the long run holds, however I am so grateful for what I've now in contrast with my life earlier than. Each day is a bonus.

REBECCA

Rebecca Seaton, 34, lives with accomplice Jamie Guyan, 36, an engineer, and her two sons Joshua, 14, and Leo, 5, in Carlisle. 

She had a kidney and pancreas transplant in January; she was identified with sort 1 diabetes at 12.

She says:

The thought of a transplant was terrifying — what if one thing went unsuitable? However the various of leaving my sons and not using a mom was much more terrifying.

My kidneys began failing after I had Leo — due to diabetes they have been already overworked and being pregnant put further stress on them.

Rebecca Seaton, 34, had a kidney and pancreas transplant in January. She was identified with sort 1 diabetes at 12

After I turned pregnant for a 3rd time, I needed to have a termination as a result of my physique could not cope any extra, it was heartbreaking.

Till then I might been comparatively wholesome however now I used to be so poorly, I used to be placed on the listing for a kidney and pancreas transplant (my pancreas had additionally deteriorated). 

I used to be so exhausted I could not do something. I had a false alarm after I was taken right down to the working theatre final Christmas morning, solely to get up to be advised they hadn't been in a position to do the transplant: I used to be in tears.

I had my transplant a number of weeks later. I can't thank my donor household sufficient for being so selfless of their darkest hour. My kids have a mom due to them.

ELLIE

Ellie Holman, 20, from Harrogate, in Yorkshire, plans to coach as a nurse. 

She had a coronary heart transplant in January after creating dilated cardiomyopathy, the place the guts turns into so enlarged and might't pump correctly.

She says: 

Earlier than my transplant, I could not brush my hair with out stopping as a result of I used to be so exhausted.

I might go up the steps backwards on my backside because it was much less tiring, and Mum needed to wash and put me to mattress. 

The second I began to really feel regular once more was after the surgical procedure after I brushed my tooth in hospital — I may do it with out getting drained, it felt unimaginable. Now I can sure up the steps.

Ellie Holman, 20, from Harrogate, had a coronary heart transplant in January after creating dilated cardiomyopathy, the place the guts turns into so enlarged and might't pump correctly

After I was 13 I had a extremely unhealthy cough and the medical doctors suppose the virus triggered cardiomyopathy. 

At first it was managed with medicine however final 12 months I instantly went downhill quickly — I could not stroll greater than two steps at a time — and had to enter hospital and was placed on the pressing transplant listing. It was very scary.

Just some weeks later I had the transplant: after I awoke, I could not converse as a result of I had tubes in my throat. 

Mum requested if it had gone all proper and the nurse mentioned it had. I began crying with aid.

A number of months later I went to Good with buddies and we went paragliding — one thing I might at all times needed to do. 

It was a tremendous feeling when the parachute swept me up excessive over the ocean — I felt so alive.

LISA 

Lisa Prepare dinner, 46, an administrator on the College of Wolverhampton, lives in Walsall along with her accomplice Andrew Beck, 52, a college lecturer. 

She had a pancreas and kidney transplant in August; she was identified with sort 1 diabetes 27 years in the past.

She says:  

4 years in the past I went fully blind — my diabetes had weakened the blood vessels in my eyes and so they have been filling with blood. 

I had an operation which restored the sight in a single and now the sight has partially come again within the different one.

Lisa Prepare dinner, 46, an administrator on the College of Wolverhampton, had a pancreas and kidney transplant in August. She was identified with sort 1 diabetes 27 years in the past

I used to be additionally on dialysis thrice per week as my kidneys have been failing: I might go to work, then go to dialysis for 4 hours and straight dwelling to mattress as a result of I used to be so exhausted.

My life has been reworked. Andrew and I've booked our first vacation in practically 4 years to Tenerife subsequent June. 

We really feel like we have received the Lottery. I'm now off insulin and this Christmas I'm going to have an alcoholic drink and gravy which I could not have earlier than.

As a part of my transplant I had a 5in flap of my donor's pores and skin grafted onto my arm which can come up in a rash if my pancreas reveals indicators of rejection — to this point it hasn't.

It was a bit unusual to begin with, and the pores and skin is paler than mine. Nevertheless it jogs my memory each day concerning the reward I have been given.

MATTHEW

Matthew Pietrzyk, 11, lives with dad and mom Craig, 38, a carpenter, mom Nicola, 37, and brothers Joseph, 18, and Theo, six, in Glenfield, Leicestershire. 

He was born with a situation that stops the kidneys working correctly and had a transplant from a residing donor in July. 

His mom says:

I used to be overwhelmed after I met Matthew's donor, Edward Batch, for the primary time: He was a whole stranger but he had simply supplied to donate his personal kidney to avoid wasting my son's life.

Matthew had been identified with congenital nephrotic syndrome at 5 weeks outdated: his abdomen was so swollen, it was like a rugby ball.

We have been so shocked after we have been advised what he had and that there was no treatment — other than a kidney transplant.

Matthew Pietrzyk, 11, was born with a situation that stops the kidneys working correctly and had a transplant from a residing donor in July

I gave Matthew considered one of my kidneys when he was two, but it surely failed within the working theatre. 

He was placed on the ready listing at three and in February 2010 he went on dialysis each day for 12 hours to maintain him alive.

His kidneys have been getting worse and no match was discovered for him, so in February 2013 I began a marketing campaign on social media to search out him a residing donor.

In July, Edward answered our prayer for assist: Edward, who's 39 and has three kids of his personal, says he would need somebody to step up and assist save him in these circumstances so he needed to have the ability to do it for another person. 

He solely lived ten miles from us and it was so emotional after we met him.

Matthew had spent six years hooked as much as a machine to maintain him alive and right here was somebody prepared to avoid wasting him: I did not know the way to thank him.

He'll at all times be a particular particular person in our lives.

ALLAN

Allan Jones, 60, a well being and security technician, lives with spouse Pleasure, 57, in Newport, South Wales. 

He had a lung transplant in August after being identified with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

He says:

The surgeon advised me in January final 12 months I had between two and 5 years to stay, and mentioned I wanted to go dwelling and inform my household. It was devastating — Pleasure and I had a lot we nonetheless needed to do.

Allan Jones, 60, a well being and security technician, had a lung transplant in August after being identified with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

We managed to go to America to mark our ruby wedding ceremony anniversary, however I used to be hooked as much as an oxygen tank for the entire journey.

We had our marriage blessed in August as a result of I did not understand how lengthy I had left to stay.

However then simply two days later I received a name to say a pair of lungs had been discovered and that I needed to get to the hospital instantly.

For the reason that transplant my complete life has modified. Pleasure and I stroll eight miles a day — and in a number of months we'll have fun our ruby wedding ceremony with the entire household.

KATHRYN 

Kathryn Hodgson, 26, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, was born with cystic fibrosis (and is ambassador for the Cystic Fibrosis Belief). 

She had a liver transplant in 2008 and a lung transplant final Christmas.

She says: 

When the cellphone rang early one morning I prayed it was the hospital saying they'd discovered new lungs for me. 

I might already had 4 false alarms — every time I might been taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The primary time it stopped midway as they'd known as to say the lungs weren't appropriate. 

Kathryn Hodgson, 26, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, was born with cystic fibrosis. She had a liver transplant in 2008 and a lung transplant final Christmas

The opposite instances, I might received to the hospital and twice, was ready to go to theatre, however the lungs weren't proper. It was devastating.

I used to be identified at 13 days outdated. Initially it did not have an effect on me a lot, however after I was eight, exams confirmed it had began affecting my liver.

At 17, I had the identical liver harm as an alcoholic: I might ballooned from a dimension eight to an 18 due to the fluid, and was so yellow I seemed like Marge Simpson.

In 2008 I had a liver transplant. However my lungs have been equally unhealthy and I usually felt I could not draw sufficient air in and began to wish oxygen remedy. 

I went on the lung transplant listing in January 2012 and three years later got here that fifth name and I lastly had the operation.

My new lungs have actually modified my life. My dad now not has to hold me up the steps. It is wonderful simply to have the ability to breathe once more. It actually was the most effective Christmas current I may have requested for.

HELEN

Helen Stankevicius, 62, lives with husband George, 64, a retired discipline providers engineer, in Holbrook, Cumbria. 

She had an islet transplant, the place cells from the pancreas are transplanted, in June; she was identified with sort 1 diabetes at 22.

She says: 

I used to be solely the 21st particular person within the UK to have this transplant and it is fully modified my life.

I might taken insulin since my prognosis, however I used to be collapsing into diabetic comas a number of instances a month. 

Helen Stankevicius had an islet transplant, the place cells from the pancreas are transplanted, in June. She was identified with sort 1 diabetes at 22

I might wake with my husband feeding me Lucozade to convey me spherical. We could not plan something as there was at all times the danger of me collapsing. 

After one actually unhealthy episode when paramedics needed to come to the home, I used to be put onto the transplant listing for islet cells — my pancreas itself labored effective, however the islet cells are what produce the insulin.

They carried out the transplant below native anaesthetic with keyhole surgical procedure and I used to be awake because the surgeon squeezed the bag with the donor islet cells down a tube into my physique.

I began to really feel higher inside a number of days: I felt improbable. And I may really exit by myself, purchasing or visiting buddies for the primary time in six years. I hadn't been allowed to earlier than.

Seven weeks in the past I used to be in a position to cease taking insulin fully. Now I've received my driving licence again and I stroll as much as 12 miles a day and have misplaced 4st (I am 5 ft 4in).

I really feel like a brand new girl.

CATHERINE 

Catherine Smith, 31, who's learning to be a paramedic, lives in Margate, Kent, along with her accomplice Lauren, 24, a nurse. 

She had a liver transplant in Could after being identified with autoimmune hepatitis, the place the liver turns into infected and broken, at 18.

She says:

I at all times knew that someday I might want a transplant, however I did not realise it might be so quickly.

Final December I received a chilly I could not shift and received quickly worse.

Catherine Smith, 31, who's learning to be a paramedic, lives in Margate, Kent. She had a liver transplant in Could after being identified with autoimmune hepatitis

Over the subsequent months I used to be sleeping 22 hours a day. My abdomen was filled with fluid that pressed on my lungs and abdomen and I misplaced 3st in six months.

The medical doctors mentioned I used to be going into liver failure, and I used to be admitted to hospital and went on the pressing listing. It is terrible ready for a transplant as you by no means know if or when that decision will come.

Three weeks later a brand new liver was discovered for me. Straight after the transplant my eyes modified again to white from yellow and I had a lot vitality: I even ran a month-long marathon in assist of the British Coronary heart Basis.

The care I've had impressed me to coach as a paramedic — now I am nicely sufficient to return to my course.

LAURA 

Laura Malpass, 22, who lives in Manchester, is learning biomedical science at college. 

She had a coronary heart transplant in June after affected by harmful coronary heart rhythms and dilated cardiomyopathy.

She says: 

I used to be within the swimming pool someday in March 2012 after I instantly fell unconscious. 

I used to be identified with cardiomyopathy which medical doctors thought had been brought on by a virus that had attacked my coronary heart; they mentioned it was so swollen that if my situation had been left undiagnosed for an additional two weeks it may have killed me.

I might had chest ache the week earlier than, however simply thought it was a sew.

All this was such a shock as I might at all times been so match and wholesome — at college I might received all my working and swimming races. Medical doctors fitted me with a pacemaker, however even then I used to be drained on a regular basis.

Then final Christmas, the pacemaker needed to shock my coronary heart again to a standard rhythm twice — it was beating at 200 beats a minute and I used to be in peril of a cardiac arrest.

Laura Malpass, 22, is learning biomedical science at college. She had a coronary heart transplant in June after affected by harmful coronary heart rhythms and dilated cardiomyopathy

The primary time it occurred I used to be consuming Christmas dinner, nothing strenuous, but it surely was so scary: I could not actually transfer and located it troublesome to breathe.

I went onto the transplant listing instantly and had two calls from the hospital inside two months — however I had flu each instances so it could not be finished.

I received the primary name at 2am: after I went to inform Mum I could not have it, I could not even get the phrases out I used to be crying a lot. She began crying too. I used to be so frightened that I wasn't going to get one in time.

After I awoke after the operation I used to be within the worst ache you possibly can think about. However Mum seen a distinction immediately as a result of I had rosy cheeks. 

I now hope to compete within the transplant video games subsequent 12 months for swimming and tennis — I additionally need to study to drive. I wasn't allowed to do it earlier than as my defective coronary heart rhythms made it harmful.

I am so grateful for my new coronary heart and the brand new life it has given me.

LOUISE

Louise Cross, 38, a neonatal nurse, lives in Soham, Cambridgeshire, with husband Nigel, 48, a postman and their daughter Chelsea, 11. 

She had a coronary heart transplant in March as a result of she had been born with a coronary heart defect.

She says: 

I knew two years in the past that I wanted a transplant: I might had open-heart surgical procedure aged 5 as a result of one of many main coronary heart valves was lacking. 

Nevertheless it had been OK till I used to be 17 after which I began having dizzy spells.

For years the medical doctors put it right down to anxiousness however then they began getting worse; my coronary heart would cease for 12 seconds at a time.

Louise Cross, 38, a neonatal nurse, lives in Soham, Cambridgeshire. She had a coronary heart transplant in March as a result of she had been born with a coronary heart defect

Simply earlier than my transplant there was a extremely scary second after I was at dwelling stitching with Chelsea, when my eyes instantly rolled again in my head.

It was troublesome explaining that somebody needed to die to make Mummy higher — that is the heartbreaking reality about transplants. 

And I could not inform her that every part was going to be all proper, because the transplant may go unsuitable. Nevertheless it labored.

Waving Chelsea off on her first day of senior faculty this September was a second I'll always remember; it was practically a second which may by no means have occurred.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

To hitch the Organ Donor Register at go to organdonation.nhs.uk

 

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