Organ donation law change will save hundreds of lives

The rays of light motivate me to shed the duvet with uncharacteristic speed and enthusiasm, as we see a progressive easing of the lockdown.
Graham Moore, of Westfield HealthGraham Moore, of Westfield Health
Graham Moore, of Westfield Health

The queues at supermarkets are now complemented by those at fast-food outlets and household waste recycling centres etc.

The new freedoms will severely test our self discipline with warmer weather ahead. Can we exercise those with responsibility to keep social distancing will be the $64 million question.

Time will tell, but we have to reflect that our weekly applause for the NHS and care workers would have a hollow ring to it, if we lost discipline to put them in further danger.

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In addition to the easing of the lockdown, another welcome step is the passing of the Presumed Consent Law for Organ Donation .

This has the potential to save up to 700 more lives every year, much needed with three fellow citizens dying every day waiting for a transplant.

To see those who have benefited from organ transplants competing in the Westfield Health British Transplant Games every year, after they and their families previously faced life-threatening conditions, is a joy to behold.

Like now, heroes have emerged in all walks of life and In my seventh week of isolation, I thank my family and all those who keep me safe.

Lisa Wilson, a friend of mine, lost her son to a tragic hockey accident and then her husband five weeks later, but complied with her son’s wishes to donate his organs. She had the joy sometime later to listen to her son’s transplanted heart beating in a grateful recipient.

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Another reason for us to show self discipline is many non-Covid-19 hospital operations are delayed, including much needed transplants.

If we do that, we will protect our front-line NHS staff and allow more operations to take place to alleviate the suffering and frustrations on the growing hospital waiting lists.

Might be our own family , friends colleagues and neighbours, or even front line workers themselves, what a cruel irony that would be.

We have learned much during the lockdown, certainly our reliance on others, particularly the front-line workers like supermarkets, public transport, council, pharmacies, GPs, refuse collectors, ambulance personnel and others too numerous to mention, not forgetting the army of volunteers.

We have to be grateful that without them accepting a degree of risk we could not function, as we have to accept that before vaccines become available we can only mitigate risk, not remove it all together.

If all these and others were not prepared to do that, we would be consigned to our duvets without back up and literally up the creek without a paddle.

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If we all said we would not go to work before it was guaranteed to be safe, society as we now it would collapse.

I, for one, am so grateful to those who care for me, not least the paper boy, who is my morning alarm at 6.30am.

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