Peer: I faced death in days before heart op 30yrs ago

COLLAPSED Lord Elder A LABOUR peer taking part in today’s debate has told of the heart transplant which saved his life.

The swap Oscar Dunkley needs is the same one Lord Murray Elder, 68, had in 1988. The school pal of ex-PM Gordon Brown said he was “days from death” when an organ was found.

His heart had become enlarged after rheumatic fever as a teenager but it caused him few problems until his mid-30s.

He said: “I’d just taken on General Secretary of Scottish Labour and my heart became larger and more useless. Then one day I just collapsed.”

He was taken from Glasgow Royal Infirmary LORD ELDER WHO HAD A HEART TRANSPLANT

for surgery at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

He returns three times a year for check-ups and keeps in touch with his surgeon, John Dark.

He added: “I take a huge number of pills but it is better than the other option. I was passionate about politics, I wanted to get back to what I loved.”

He is backing Max’s Law to spare grieving families difficult conversations. He said: “By the time it is not all too sudden it’s too late.”

THE mum of heart failure baby Oscar Dunkley is directly appealing to peers to Change the Law for Life.

I wanted to get back to politics.. what I loved.

The House of Lords will today decide whether to pass the latest stage of a Bill to introduce an opt-out organ donation system in England.

Abbie Burkmar spoke from the bedside of her 14-month-old boy, Oscar, who has heart failure.

Like many other patients, his life hangs in the balance as he waits helplessly for a new life-saving organ.

Abbie urged the Lords to pass the bill, ahead of the vote today. She said: “I would be really in favour of them voting for this. Organ donation can save lives.

I’m hoping that a new law will