Man’s donor plea after nine-year heart wait

A profoundly ill man who has been waiting for a heart transplant for almost a decade has made a desperate plea to potential donors.

Gareth Evans, 45, from Stockport, has been hoping for a new heart for more than nine years, the longest wait on the Ukwide transplant list.

At one stage he was removed from the list and forced to tell his wife and children to expect the worst.

NHS Blood and Transplant is now encouraging people to talk to their families about organ donation.

Last year, around 3,000 transplants were missed because families said no to donating their relative’s organs.

There are currently 6,133 people on the transplant waiting list, with 280 waiting for a new heart.