“My mum saved two lives through organ donation” is the poignant message from NHS worker Helen Wilson, who is urging everyone to register their decision on the NHS Organ Donor register.
Helen, who works as a general manager at University Hospitals Tees, is highlighting how her mum’s generous gift of life helped two people to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
Her mum Judith Webster from Stokesley, was 63 when she passed away unexpectedly in 2019, leaving behind a husband, two daughters and four doting grandchildren.
Helen said: “Since we were very little, we always knew about mum’s wishes as she carried her donor card in her purse wherever she went.
“As children, we frequently would have conversations about our own wishes and became comfortable to be able to advocate for mum when the time came.”
Judith, who was known for her kindness and calming nature, knew about the importance of organ donation through her NHS experience of more than four decades.
Helen still remembers when the day finally arrived to donate her mum’s organs, which was a ‘surreal experience’ for her and her family.
She believes that her mum’s early desire to donate her organs and eagerness to carry her donor card in her purse helped the family to make a comfortable decision.
She said: “We were in a very fortunate position to know mum’s views on organ donation if the time came, which made it easier to ask in Accident and Emergency if we could consider organ donation, where the answer from all of us was yes.
“The organ donation process also enabled our family to spend even more time with her and to say our goodbyes in the intensive care unit. The staff in those most difficult of days were kind and patient with us and guided us through the process skilfully.”
“Mum’s organ donation helped them celebrate Christmas”
On Christmas Eve in 2019, Helen was in the farm shop when she got a call from her dad about a letter he had received from the recipients of her mum’s organs.
She remembers fondly how the letter detailed that her mum’s organs had saved the lives of two people – one who was waiting five years for a transplant and the other received a transplant after seven years.
Thanks to her mum, the two people received the ‘gift of life’ and were able to spend Christmas with their loved ones –thanks to Judith’s kind donation.
She said: “Organ donation was an open subject in our family, and knowing mum’s wishes meant we were able to advocate for her last wishes.
“If the time ever comes and you, as a family member, are asked to consider organ donation, knowing their wishes makes the conversation much easier.
“Being a donor family is a special club, although I hope that no one faces this, we as a family find great comfort in knowing that mum’s wishes were followed through to give the gift of life to someone.”
Lisa Tombling, specialist nurse organ donation, said: “We are really thankful to Helen and her family for sharing their inspirational story.
“Her mum’s life is a testament to how a simple decision to donate organs makes the entire process of organ donation comfortable for families.
“It just takes two minutes to confirm your decision, which could save nine lives.”
Anyone can confirm their decision by visiting the NHS Organ Donor Website.