When 27-year-old Louise Cosgrove passed away in tragic circumstances, her sister knew it was her duty to ensure her wishes around organ donation could be honoured.
Louise was working as an intensive care nurse when she was killed in a car accident near Huddersfield.
Her sister Juliette Cosgrove, who is chief nursing officer at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, said she knew Louise wanted to be an organ donor and despite dealing with such a difficult situation – she was able to ensure her sister’s corneas could be retrieved and donated to someone who would ultimately be given the gift of sight.
“Louise had beautiful, big brown eyes,” said Juliette. “It was the thing that everyone always commented on about her, so something happening to her eyes was a difficult discussion for our family to have.
“I knew how strongly Louise felt about organ donation and in this moment, it wasn’t about us, it was about her.”
The family agreed that night that Louise’s corneas could be donated.
Juliette, who was also an intensive care nurse at the time, said: “It’s so important to know your loved one’s wishes around organ donation. I knew that for Louise it was a very important thing for her to do; it was her wish, and we were able to honour that for her.
“In such unexpected circumstances, it’s so much easier for a family to know what their loved one would have wanted before something like this actually happens. The clearer you are, the easier it is for others to take that decision and deliver on your wishes.”
Working as an organ donation co-ordinator, Juliette had seen many families go through what she ended up experiencing herself and it was her sister’s influence that inspired her to keep going.
“When I went back into the work environment, I was taking what happened to my sister with me,” said Juliette. “It made me even more compassionate and, while it was obviously difficult at times, it doubled my commitment.”
Juliette’s family have not only experienced what it is like to have a loved one become a donor, but they have also seen the positive impact a transplant can have for someone living with a chronic condition.
Juliette’s uncle underwent a successful kidney transplant, which meant he was able to avoid undergoing gruelling dialysis three times a week and get back to work.
She added: “My uncle is now in his 80s and he is still working. The transplant not only saved his life, but it enabled him to live the life he always wanted to.
“Most of us wouldn’t think twice about accepting an organ donation if we needed it yet so many people are dying every day waiting for a transplant. I urge everyone to confirm their organ donor wishes and tell their loved ones about it – you could save someone’s life.”
Organ donation – the facts
- Deceased donors must die in hospital under specific circumstances and be suitable for donation after a medical team's individual assessment.
- In the UK, the law changed in England to an ‘opt-out’ system, meaning all adults are presumed to be donors unless they choose to opt out.
- Around 8,000 people are waiting for a lifesaving transplant and every day, someone dies while waiting.
- Over 12,000 people in the UK have died or been removed from the list in the past decade before receiving the organ transplant they needed. · Visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk and confirm your wishes today – it takes just two minutes.