Peterborough mum’s organ donation plea after operation give her son a second chance of life

Grayson Heagren (2) had been on the organ waiting list since Christmas Eve 2018, but this summer received the crucial heart transplant which has given him the chance of a normal life.

Before the transplant Grayson’s mum, Shannon, from Park Farm, had been thinking of his funeral - but now she can plan Christmas, birthdays and school in the future.

MORE: Peterborough mum’s joy mixed with heartbreak as son has second chance of life thanks to heart transplant

However, along with Grayson, her first thought was with the youngster who had sadly passed away before their family made the decision to donate the heart,

This week is Organ Donation Awareness Week, which runs from September 7 until September 13, and Shannon urged people to think about donating, saying her thoughts on the matter had changed as a result of what had happened to Grayson.

In the past five years, nine people in Peterborough have died while on waiting list for an organ, while five people in the city received a potentially life saving donation this year.

A total of 13 people in Peterborough also donated organs for others this year.

Shannon said: “Before Grayson, I probably wouldn’t have donated my children’s organs, but I’ve now signed up for all my children.

“Organs are no good to you when you have gone, but they could give someone else a chance - the best gift you can give is the gift of life.

“Being with Grayson at hospital really opened my eyes - seeing so many children waiting for a donation is so difficult.

“It is a very difficult decision for parents at what must be the hardest moment for them, but I hope donating something to help save a life could bring some comfort.

“I will be writing to the donor family soon - I have never met them and don’t know much about them, but the have given my baby a chance. I know they did not get another chance, and I am so grateful to them. I hope they can get some comfort from Grayson doing well.”

While the plan is for Grayson to come home this week, life will still be very different for Shannon, Grayson and the rest of the family.

Shannon said: “We have to be extra cautious with Grayson. He is on immunosuppressant drugs, which basically means he does not have an immune system, which helps his body to accept and not reject his new heart.

“He has to stay home for three months - we can’t take him to crowded places, and with COVID we have to be extra careful.

“But my other children are going back to school and nursery - we were told that it is fine as that is what would normally happen if siblings of children had had a heart transplant. It is just going to become the new normal.

“It is going to be very surreal.”

The wait for the transplant had been a long one, with Grayson being moved to Great Ormond Street Hospital late last year.

Shannon said: “We came to Great Ormond Street Hospital in November because his heart was just too week.

“In January he had a Berlin Heart put in to help his heart and take the pressure off. He breezed through that operation, and after a month in intensive care, he went up to Bear Ward.

“He became obsessed with Justin Bieber, and listened to his old album all the time.”

Angie Scales, paediatric lead nurse for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “It is wonderful news that Grayson has received his heart transplant. We wish him all the best with his recovery.

“Our thoughts are also with the family of his donor at this time, as they come to terms with the death of their loved one. Without them agreeing to organ donation Grayson’s life-saving operation could not have taken place.

“We are keeping Grayson, his family and the donor family in our thoughts and thank everyone who worked together to make this donation and transplant possible.

“For many children waiting for a heart transplant their only hope is that the parents of another child will say ‘yes’ to organ donation as their world is falling apart.

“Losing a child is a devastating but we know parents who agree to donate their child’s organs gain great comfort and pride from knowing that their child has saved the lives of other people, often young patients.

“We urge all parents to talk about organ donation, and not just for themselves but all members of the family, and what they would want if the time comes. Children can save lives too and there are young patients relying on a child to save their life.”

On May 20 this year, the law around organ donation in England changed to an ‘opt out’ system. This means that it will be considered that you would be willing to donate your organs, unless you have opted out, are in one of the excluded groups or have told your family you do not want to donate.

For children aged under 18, parental permission is needed to donate organs.

It is important that people know that you still have a choice and family members will still be consulted before organ donation goes ahead. Families are more likely to support your organ donation decision, when they already know what you want to happen.

Following the change in law, NHS Blood and Transplant is urging families across England to talk about their organ donation decision. Knowing what your relatives want, helps you support their decision at a difficult time.

More and more families in Cambridgeshire are saying yes to organ donation but there is still an urgent shortage of donors. NHS Blood and Transplant is asking people in Cambridgeshire to tell their families they want to donate to help make sure more lives are saved.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We need more people in Cambridgeshire to talk about organ donation to increase the number of lifesaving transplants.

“Even now the law has changed, families will still be approached before organ donation goes ahead. So it remains so important to talk to your families and make sure they know what you want to happen.

“Register your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell your family the choice you have made. If the time comes, we know families find the organ donation conversation with nurses or medical teams much easier if they already know what their relative wanted.”

For more information about organ donation, visit https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/