A TYNEDALE man facing his first Christmas without his wife is urging more people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register to give the gift of life.
David Harrison, from Stonehaugh, travelled to the St John Ambulance headquarters in Hertfordshire last week, where his wife Sam was among a number of organ donors honoured with a special posthumous award.
The 52-year-old died of a sudden brain haemorrhage on a business trip to Biggleswade in January and was taken by ambulance to the nearest accident and emergency at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage .
But just days later tests confirmed that Sam had lost all brain function, prompting David to make the heart-wrenching decision to ensure her organs were made available to those most in need.
Sam's heart went to a woman in her 20s, her liver to a women in her 40s, lungs to a 60-year-old, one kidney went to a women in her 50s, the other kidney to a man in his 30s, and her pancreas to a women in her 20s.
Bones and skin from Sam, who worked on NHS public engagement projects through her job with North of England Commissioning Support, were also donated for life improving tissue transplants.
David (53) said: "Although neither of us were signed up as organ donors at the time, it was actually a really easy decision to donate Sam's organs.
"She really believed in the values of the NHS, and lived them, so giving others the gift of life was the right thing to do.
"It's of huge comfort to me to know that her heart is still beating and her lungs are still breathing somewhere."
David, who collected the Order of St John Award for Organ Donation on Sam's behalf, explained that the pair started out as "teenage sweethearts" after meeting in London when Sam was just 17, and quickly became inseparable.
Originally from Manchester, work brought the couple to the North-East and they settled in Stonehaugh in 1988, where a memorial bench has now been installed in Sam's honour.
"Christmas is going to be difficult," admitted David.
"But I am so fortunate that we had a 30-year joyous marriage.
"Advances in medicine mean people are living longer and their are fewer and fewer organs available.
"Since Sam's death I, along with my family and friends, have signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
"I would encourage everyone to have the conversation with their loved ones and, even better, sign up."
To join visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 2323.
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