Hospital porter helps others after organ donation
Date of release: 27 September 2024
An organ donor’s sister was told his selflessness made an impact on “hundreds of lives” and she is sharing her story today to encourage others to consider doing the same.
Carla Daly, a Staff Nurse at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said she wanted others to have discussions about organ donation following the death of her brother Marc Harvey.
Marc, a porter at County Hospital in Stafford, was 48 when he died from a stroke on 14 June last year. The father of three had been due to fly to Turkey on the day he had his stroke and the whole family’s lives were turned upside down.
Carla said: “Just before 2am on 13 June 2023 I received a phone call to say I needed to urgently get to Royal Stoke Hospital, my brother had had a stroke.
“Fast forward 12 hours and my family and I were having a discussion with the Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation (SNOD).
“I didn't want to believe what I was being told. My brother was lying in a bed on a ventilator, all sedation had been turned off for hours, he was brain dead.”
Carla said the family had not discussed what they wanted to happen in this situation but were told Marc had registered to be an organ donor, so they agreed they wanted to honour his wishes.
She said: “The next 24 hours were an absolute whirlwind. Whilst the hospital did everything to keep Marc as stable as possible we managed to get a few family members over from abroad that wanted to see Marc before his life support was turned off.
“In this time we had a lot of conversations with a variety of people, always with the SNOD present. We had to answer a lot of in depth and personal questions about Marc and the family whilst everything in the background was being arranged. We were all surprised to learn that it wasn't only organs that are taken for donation, but also valves, tissues and some organs taken for research.
“Then it was time, the organ retrieval teams from London and Cardiff were in place and all recipients were ready I assume anxiously waiting for news. The walk to theatre was long and felt never ending.
“Everything had already been explained to us, we knew that his machines would be turned off and his ventilator removed. When there was a time of death we had five minutes to say our goodbyes and then the organ retrieval needed to be done. I sat and held his hand, willing for him to wake up and breathe, but that never came. After what felt like hours his heart had stopped and he was gone.
“Myself, my parents, one of my sisters, his children and his partner all sat with him, unable to really comprehend what was happening. We held his hands, told him we loved him and then he was taken for organ retrieval.
“This was one of the hardest things I think I have ever had to go through. The loss of my big brother, my only brother, is something I don't think I will ever truly get over. But, I know that he is living on inside the people he has helped. We were told very quickly that during the retrieval it was found his heart was not able to be used, however, they were able to take valves and tissues from his heart, alongside his kidneys and liver. All going to people in need. We were also told that his pancreas and lungs had been accepted into two different research trials.”
Carla now wants to urge people to have conversations with their families about their preferences. The UK operates an "opt-out" system for organ donation, meaning everyone is considered a donor unless they specifically opt out. Individuals still need to confirm their decision, however, and, crucially, discuss their wishes with their families.
She added: “It was incredibly hard for all of us but were helped and supported the entire time with everything being explained to us. It gave us chance to say goodbye, take photos, gather keepsakes and for his children to lie with him and each have some private time with him.
“Through our tears and devastation others have been given another chance at life. One organ has not just helped one person, but also their family and friends too. I was told it’s not unrealistic to think he has potentially impacted the lives of hundreds of people.
“Almost a year after he died Marc was awarded a posthumous award from The Order of St John for donating his organs. This is something we will treasure forever.”
ENDS
- For further information, please email amy.downward@nhs.net
