Oxford father’s transplant story highlights urgent call for organ donors

An Oxford father whose life was saved by a liver transplant is highlighting the life-changing impact of organ donation, as the NHS launches its first-ever urgent response to falling donation rates.

After years of living with a rare liver disease, James Lawton, 47 from Headington, was given a second chance at life in 2022 thanks to a liver donated by someone who died after choosing to become an organ donor.

A patient of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's (OUH) hepatology service since 2006, his story comes during Organ Donation Week (21-27 September) and as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) warns that donor numbers have fallen significantly, with more than 8,700 people across the UK currently waiting for a transplant.

NHSBT has announced an urgent response plan after deceased donor numbers fell by 9% compared with the same period last year. Nine people die every week while waiting for a transplant, while more than 700 potential donations did not go ahead between 2021 and 2026 because families did not know their loved one’s wishes.

James was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a rare autoimmune liver disease, in 2006 at the age of 27. Although his condition remained stable for many years, his health then deteriorated rapidly and he was added to the liver transplant waiting list in 2022. Following his transplant at a London Trust in the same year, he has continued to receive specialist follow-up care from OUH.

James said: "When nothing else could stop my liver disease, an incredible final act of generosity from a stranger gave me a second chance at life.

"I get to see my children grow up because of my amazing organ donor and the wonders of transplantation.

"We have had amazing times together as a family since my transplant and are so thankful that I am still here.

"I am incredibly thankful to my donor and their family for making the decision that gave me the chance to keep living my life."

Since his transplant, James has competed in four British Transplant Games and represented Team GB at the World Transplant Games, where he won a silver medal in squash.

Georgina O'Brien, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at OUH, said: "We are seeing a worrying decline in organ donation at a time when more people than ever need a transplant.

"Every potential donor is incredibly important and registering a decision and sharing it with your family can make all the difference.

"When families know what their loved one wanted, they are much more likely to support organ donation. We are encouraging people to take a couple of minutes to record their decision and have that conversation with those closest to them."

As part of Organ Donation Week, specialist nurses and other colleagues will be holding awareness events across Oxfordshire to encourage people to learn more about organ donation, register their decision and discuss their wishes with family and friends.

Activities include information stalls at the Churchill Hospital main entrance from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 September and at Level 2 of the John Radcliffe Hospital, next to the League of Friends, on Monday 21 and Wednesday 23 September. Both stalls will be open from 10am to 3pm. The organ donation team will also be attending the Oxford Parkrun event at Cutteslowe Park on Saturday 26 September.

Professor Andrew Brent, Chief Medical Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Behind every transplant statistic is a person, a family and a future that could be transformed through organ donation – and for those that receive a transplant, the generosity of another person, the donor, and their family.

"James's story shows the life-changing impact that organ donation can have, not only for recipients but for the families who get more time with their loved ones. It is a powerful reminder that every registered donor has the potential to transform multiple lives through a final act of generosity."

Each donor can potentially save up to nine lives. Visit the NHSBT organ donation website, call 0300 123 23 23, or use the NHS App to register an organ donation decision.