Organ donor baby has 'increased my faith in my job' says specialist nurse

The nurse who helped facilitate the kidney transplant from Britain’s youngest organ donor has said the experience has ‘increased my faith in my job’ and made her more ‘passionate about organ donation’.

From left: Teddy Houlston's parents Mike Houlston and Jess Evans, and specialist nurse Angharad Griffiths. Credit: Rex

NHS Blood and Transplant specialist nurse in organ donation Angharad Griffiths spoke of the heart-warming day she spent at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, with the family of Teddy Houlston – the baby whose kidneys were donated when he died less than two hours after he was born.

Ms Griffiths, who organised the transplant retrieval team, said being with Teddy’s family and monitoring his observations throughout his short life was a ‘privilege’, adding: ‘This was a baby the parents were going to lose but the room was filled with joy. They just wanted to enjoy the moments they had with him and not grieve too early.’

She said she hoped Teddy’s story would prompt more people to talk about organ donation and said all families should be given greater options for organ donation, adding: ‘It has helped [Teddy’s parents’] grieving and brought a huge amount of comfort to them.'

She added: ‘This has made me even more passionate about organ donation. All of our organ donor families are inspirational without exception but this family is even more so because they contemplated organ donation when their baby had not yet been born.’

Commenting on Teddy’s story, Welsh Government health and social services minister Mark Drakeford said: ‘Teddy’s story is very special and his parents’ decision took courage and determination.

‘There is a shortage of organs for donation and over the last decade there have been only ten organ donors in Wales who were under 18.

‘I hope Teddy’s donation will encourage more people to think about organ donation to help save the lives of others.’

From December 1 2015, the organ donation law in Wales will change, making it the first UK country to introduce a system where consent is assumed unless people have opted out.

People aged 18 and over who have lived in Wales for more than 12 months and who die in Wales will be regarded as having consented to organ donation unless they say otherwise. This is called deemed consent or a soft opt-out system. The move is designed to increase the number of potential organ donors and ultimately increase the number of organs available for transplant.