'Respect the wishes of organ donors' to save lives, says campaign mum

'Respect the wishes of organ donors' to save lives, says campaign mum Becca Lambert - whose daughter Poppy needs a heart transplant - says families should lose the right to overturn a loved one's wishes once a potential organ donor joins the official register A mum waiting for a heart donor for her little girl has launched a crusade to 'make consent count' in England. Rebecca Lambert, 30, believes families should lose the right to overturn a loved one's wishes once that potential organ donor joins the organ donor register. According to the NHS, 842 deceased donors registered their decision to donate in 2024/2025. Typically, loved ones decline consent in 10 to 12% of cases, according to the official data. That equates to around 84 to 101 donors in total in 24/25. The NHS says each donor can potentially save nine lives, meaning 909 opportunities were missed to save a life. Rebecca's petition states: "We call on the Government to legislate so that a person’s registered decision to donate is legally binding and cannot be overridden by family members after the person’s death." Poppy was diagnosed before her birth with a rare congenital heart defect and underwent major heart surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle in December. Her condition worsened and she underwent several more surgeries before doctors discovered her damaged tricuspid valve, meaning a heart transplant was her only option. Rebecca, known as Becca, and her husband Kevin, from Cleator Moor, Cumbria, have asked people to talk to their families about organ donation, as it could give a child a "chance of life". They backed the Mirror's Change the Law for Life campaign. Becca said the current expected wait for a transplant was about two years. They know the heart would need to come from a child of a similar size to Poppy, who turns two next month. Becca, who works for the NHS in blood donation, said: "Under the current system, families are still consulted and can effectively prevent donation, even when a person has clearly stated their wishes. "We think this undermines personal autonomy and can result in fewer life saving transplants. I want people's wishes to be heard when they pass; the figures show not far short of 1,000 people could have been saved in 2024/5. You would not change someone's will, why would you want to change their wishes on donation?" She added: "My daughter may need a kidney transplant in the future or even another heart transplant. The waiting game could be for up to two years. We are hoping that it is not that long, we have seen families wait for six months to 12 months. We are here every single day, you cannot imagine what that is like until you are living it. "She will have her second birthday in the hospital next month. I would say to families whose loved ones are on the register: let them give someone a second chance, give them the chance of life. If they express their wish, it means that their consent is given and their views are listened to." In the past decade nearly 5,000 people have died waiting for a transplant. Becca's campaign is being backed by Terry Archbold, whose five-year-old daughter Beatrix Adamson-Archbold waited more than 15 months in the Freeman for her heart transplant. Terry is campaigning for organ donor lessons to be part of the national curriculum. Terry, 48, a police officer from Burnopfield, Co Durham, said: "I back Rebecca 100 percent. Hundreds of lives could have been saved if people's wishes were respected, it is really significant. It is massively important to have that conversation with loved ones first because families are asked the question about donation at the most difficult time imaginable. "I totally understand their position and for me, it should not be a question but a statement. They should say, 'Your relative is a registered donor and what a brilliant legacy that they could save several lives through their donation'. Then you have set that seed of thought about what a great thing it is and you are no longer asking for permission." The Mirror Change the Law for Life campaign brought the opt out system to England for organ donation in May, 2020. It is named in honour of our campaigner Max Johnson, now 17, of Winsford, Cheshire, and his nine-year-old heart donor Keira Ball, who tragically died in a car accident near her home in Barnstaple, Devon in 2017. An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson said: “The act of organ donation is incredibly special, yet it comes at a time that is especially difficult for the families who are approached about it. "While our specialist nurses always inform families if their loved one has registered a decision and encourage them to honour it if they feel able, there are many reasons why families may choose not to go ahead. "Last year, donation proceeded in 87% of cases when someone had confirmed their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, compared with 45% when no decision was known. That’s why we encourage everyone to record their decision. It takes just two minutes and could help save up to nine lives.” *Visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/768297