Every adult is now an organ donor unless they opt out – thanks to two inspiring children
PEOPLE waiting for life-saving operations in England have been given fresh hope as a new organ donation law comes into play today.
Most adults in England are now organ donors unless they opt out thanks to two inspiring children.
Max and Keira’s law takes effect today and will lead to 700 additional transplants each year by 2023.
Keira Ball was nine when she passed away three days after she was in a horrific car crash near her home in Devon in July 2017 which left her with serious head injuries.
Her family took the heartbreaking decision to allow her to become an organ donor, motivated by her desire to help others.
At the same time Max Johnson, 10, was fighting for his life at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and needed a heart transplant to save him.
Max's family later received a phone call saying an organ had been found and was a match.
The primary school pupil then received her heart in a life-saving operation.
Little Max campaigned to bring about the new law after Keira’s organs saved four lives in total, including another young boy who received her pancreas and liver.
Max and Keira's law sees a shift to an opt-out system, whereby those aged 18 and over are deemed to have given consent to donate their own organs when they die, unless they explicitly state otherwise or are in an excluded group.
Faizan Awan, one of thousands of people across the UK awaiting a transplant, said: "For many people like me, who are waiting for an organ, the law change is a sign of hope and a transplant would dramatically change my life in a number of ways.
LIFE CHANGING
"With the new law coming into effect, it is now more important than ever to talk about organ donation and get the conversation going amongst our family and friends."
Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), said: "We hope this law change will prompt all of us to consider whether or not we would want to donate our organs and encourage us all to register and share our decision with our family and friends."
He added that people should be aware they will still have a choice on whether or not to donate, and reassured the public that families will still be consulted, and faith, beliefs and culture will continue to be respected.
The change in law has been widely welcomed by charities including the British Heart Foundation and Kidney Care UK.
In 2015 a similar law was introduced in Wales.
Scotland is due to have similar legislation in place by Autumn 2020, whereas Ireland continues to have an opt in system.