The dad who won't rest until he's helped people waiting for an organ donation

A grateful dad is battling to help Wearside and County Durham people waiting for organ transplants - just days after his daughter left hospital with a new heart.

It was only yesterday when the Sunderland Echo reported that brave Beatrix Archbold, two, had gone home after 14 months at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

Dad Terry said at the time: "How can you find the words that are adequate for what the NHS has done. They have saved Bea's life multiple times."

Time to have that difficult chat with your loved ones

Beatrix is currently settling in to life outside of the hospital environment but Terry is stepping up his own campaign to get more awareness for organ donations for others.

Terry and Beatrix's mum Cheryl, from Roker, know only too well what losing a child is like.

Their daughter Isabel was stillborn four years ago. The couple agreed her heart could be donated for medical research.

Taking the campaign to a national level

Terry said statistics show there are only 50 to 60 child donors a year yet there are more than 200 UK children waiting for life-saving organs.

He wants people to have that difficult conversation about donation.

"I understand why people say no but we want people to consider this. Would you accept a life saving organ for your child? If it’s a yes, would you agree to a donation of a life saving organ if something happens to your child?

"All we want to achieve is to get that discussion happening.”

'Waiting lists are going up'

He added: "I have written to each of the regional NHS Trusts to explain the exact position, that waiting lists have gone up 14% and more needs to be done.

"I have asked them to spell out what their policies are to improve education around organ donation."

Most GP surgeries don't have a 'single piece of material' on show to raise awareness of organ donation, said Terry.

And when people sign up for a new surgery, they are not routinely asked about their organ donation status, he added.

'It all boils down to having that seed of thought'

"I am going to do this on a national level," he said. "And I will involve MPs in each area. It all boils down to having that seed of thought."

Terry's aim is to increase education and raise awareness levels after statistics showed;

4,532 patients received donated organs from 2,386 donors – living and deceased – in the UK last year.

That's a five per cent increase on figures in 2021/22.

In the North East and Yorkshire, 525 patients received a living or deceased transplant, compared to 468 in 2021/22.

7,000 people waiting for a transplant

More than 7,000 people on the active transplant waiting list in the UK, including 911 patients from the North East and Yorkshire.

There were 324 organ donors in the North East and Yorkshire – living and deceased – last year compared with 311 donors the year before.

But clinicians have warned that opportunities for transplant are still being missed due to families refusing to support donation.

People are being urged to confirm their organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, and families are more likely to support donation when they already know it was what their relative wanted.

'It takes two minutes but it can save lives'

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "We urge everyone who supports organ donation to confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is a simple action which only takes two minutes; but can ultimately save lives.”

Visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 123 23 23 or use the NHS app.