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This Organ Donation Week (21 to 28 September), Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is sharing stories from the patients and families whose lives have been changed by organ donation and the specialist nurses who support them.

 

More than 8,500 people in the UK are currently waiting for an organ transplant, according to figures from NHS Blood and Transplant.

 

Yet despite the generosity of donors and their families, around 400 people each year die or become too ill to receive a transplant before a suitable organ becomes available.

 

A life-changing legacy

For Janis Dowell, from Braintree, organ donation became part of her family's story following the death of her son, Lee, in 2024.

Although they had never expected to face decisions about organ donation, it was something they had spoken about before.

Janis was supported by the specialist organ donation nurses from Broomfield Hospital who sensitively discussed the option of donation and helped guide her through the process.

Lee went on to donate two kidneys and his liver, helping three people.

Janis said: "Lee and I had talked about organ donation before, and he knew I supported it. He thought helping others in that way was a good thing to do.

“When the time came, I felt it was what he would have wanted because he was a kind man. If he thought he could help somebody to live, he would have done it. Knowing that his donation helped three people means his legacy lives on."

A second chance

David Marchant, 60, from Grays, had a liver transplant in 2023 after living for almost two decades with a rare liver condition.

A builder and a keen runner, David said his health deteriorated so gradually that he did not fully realise how unwell he had become until everyday tasks started becoming more difficult.

Following his transplant at Addenbrooke's Hospital, David faced a lengthy recovery, but the operation gave him a second chance at life.

Just over a year later, he was back on the athletics track competing at the British Transplant Games, where he won a bronze medal in the 1,500 metres.

More than three years on, David continues to attend regular three-monthly check-ups with transplant specialists from Addenbrooke's and Basildon hospitals to monitor his health and ongoing treatment.

Reflecting on the impact of organ donation, he said: "You appreciate every day a lot more, and you appreciate things that you probably took for granted before. I think it's an amazing gift. If you're not going to be here, you could save so many people."

Waiting for the call

Jennifer Forster, from Hullbridge, is currently on dialysis in Southend Hospital’s Renal unit while she waits for a kidney transplant.

Dialysis helps keep Jennifer well, but it comes at a cost. Three times a week she spends hours travelling to and from appointments and undergoing treatment.

She said: "People don't realise how much dialysis takes over your life. By the time you've travelled into hospital, had your treatment and got home again, it's about six hours out of your day. I feel like I've gone back to having a part-time job."

Jennifer says the treatment affects everything from social plans to holidays and family life. Now on the transplant waiting list, she hopes a donor kidney will give her back the freedom to spend more time doing the things she loves.

Jennifer hopes more people will consider organ donation and the difference it can make to people waiting for a life-changing call.

She said: "If you can give someone else the chance to live their life and enjoy it, I think that's a wonderful thing to do."

Supporting families through organ donation

Across Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals specialist nurses from NHS Blood and Transplant work closely with intensive care and emergency department teams to identify patients who may be suitable organ donors and support families through the donation process, ensuring any decision is made in line with the patient's wishes.

Lucy Chaplin, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation based at Basildon Hospital, said: "When families choose to support organ donation, they create opportunities for others to live longer, healthier and more independent lives. Although no organ transplants take place at our hospitals, last year our team helped arrange 26 donations, leading to 71 lifesaving or life-changing transplants. Those numbers represent real people, real families and futures that might not otherwise have been possible."

If you'd like to register your organ donation decision it takes just two minutes to do it online at Register your decision - NHS Organ Donation or by calling 0300 123 23 23.

ENDS

 

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Jennifer Forster receiving dialysis