Melissa would still be with us today if there were more organ donors in the UK. Being an organ donor is something that not a lot of us tend to think about. Not many of us come across the question of whether or not we would like to be an organ donor, and therefore these decisions are not even considered. In this case alone you can see that if Melissa had received a donated pair of lungs (or even a donated single lung) it would not be just Melissa’s life that would be affected.
I would have my wife back whom I loved so much and I miss every day. She gave me her love, happiness, laughter and she gave me Miles. She gave me a balance to my personality and we were a great team. Stating the obvious, my life would be a load easier too! Organising a baby sitter for Miles every time I have a gig is not always that easy. Just little things like popping out to the shops are difficult. My day-to-day life would be dramatically improved.
As for Miles, well he would have a mum. What price is that? I don’t know if there is any proof of the effects of being brought up in a single parent environment. I’m sure it’s not as good as having both around. I suppose at this stage he has known no different, so any psychological effects that might happen have not happened yet.
Melissa’s parents, it could be argued, have had the most upsetting trauma of losing their daughter. I am not sure if they have yet come to terms with it and I’m not sure if that is something that they will ever be able to do.
But it goes without saying that Melissa herself would benefit most. She would be enjoying the proud moments that Miles gives, enjoying her husbands company (sometimes) and the loving family she would have around her. She would appreciate the very simple things in life that most of us take for granted.
Melissa was only 33 and for young men and women, the chances of a successful operation and a greatly extended life term are very high. Other LAM patients have enjoyed a further 20 years and still going strong since transplant.
Right now more than 10,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant that could save or dramatically improve their lives. But each year around 1,000 people die while waiting for a transplant. Help us to give these people the chance for a new life.
To join the NHS Organ Donor Register and give the gift of life, click here or call 0300 123 23 23.