Law coming in from 2020 Launch of opt-out organ donor system

THE parents of the little girl who gave her heart to save Mirror boy Max Johnson last night hailed the new organ donation law.

The heart of Keira Ball, nine, was given to Max last August after she died in a car accident near her home in Barnstaple, Devon, on July 30.

She saved four lives – two adults received her kidneys, and her pancreas and liver went to another little boy, while Max got her heart.

Keira’s father, train fitter Joe, 35, made the donation decision alone because her mum Loanna, 34, was drifting in and out of consciousness

TRAGIC by Keira, to boost organ donation. Loanna said: “Looking at Max’s pictures from a year ago has made us aware that if it was not for Joe’s decision, Max wouldn’t be here now.”

Joe said: “Max made a speech and it was so moving. It is his heart anniversary but also the day we lost Keira, so there are many memories.

“We did a heart-shaped cake for him and we know there will always be that bond between our families.”

The families have given permission for pictures of Keira and Max to be used in awareness campaigns next year. “Keira lives on in this new organ donation law,” said Loanna.

FLASHBACK I WELCOME the announcement of a new system of consent for organ donation.

The public have looked at the evidence and are now ready for change.

Every year, hundreds of people are missing out on life-saving and life-changing organ transplants.

This is a tragedy.

But it is even more heartbreaking to know that this is happening because families are – at a time of huge shock and grief – unsure as to the wishes of their loved ones.

HELP

I have long believed that as a country we can do more to help those in need of organ transplants.

The best way to do this is to increase the number of potential donors through the introduction of an opt-out system of organ donation.

Any change will have to be accompanied by a strong set of safeguards to ensure that no one’s organs were donated against their wishes.

And there would also need to be a public awareness campaign to inform people of the change and to encourage more people to become potential organ donors.

But as long as this is done, and now that the public have been consulted, England should move quickly to an opt-out system of organ donation like the one in Wales.

In the meantime, I would urge everyone to discuss their choices with their loved ones and, if they have not already done so, sign up to the organ donor register today.

Seeing how well Max is doing now gives us all a massive, massive lift LOANNA