Mum saved five lives by donating her organs

Leela Keshavji died from a brain haemorrhage in 2020

A man whose wife died from a brain haemorrhage said "when her time came, we knew we had to honour her decision" to donate her organs.

Manoj Keshavji, from Nottingham, said after her death in 2020, his wife Leela, 47, saved five people's lives.

NHS Blood and Transplant say surveys show Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) families are significantly less likely to donate organs, with the main reason being people felt it went against their religious or cultural beliefs.

Mr Keshavji said there was a general stigma in Asian communities about organ donation and it was "vital" families talk to their loved ones about their wishes.

Mrs Keshavji was also a Hindu Brahmin priest and a community volunteer

The father-of-three said she overcame this stigma "by conducting her own research and getting a better understanding of the whole process, including speaking with experienced Hindu priests and reading online research".

He added: "The common factor between most faiths is the lack of understanding and never having held a family discussion about this taboo subject.

"Leela and I had spoken several times with our children about our wishes and why we had chosen to become donors."

The 57-year-old added it was "incredible" his wife saved five people.

"I received a letter from a lady who was gifted one of Leela’s organs and it was so emotional yet comforting to read," he added.

"It still moves me to tears and when I read it out when I give a talk, it so often moves the audience to tears."

Mrs Keshavji was a religious studies teacher for 13 years before setting up a restaurant business

Mr Keshavji, who helped run a restaurant in Leicester with his wife, also said the donation had helped the family.

"The journey we have been on has been made more comfortable, it has really helped the healing process," he said.

"The knowledge they have honoured their mother's wishes and helped these other people has really supported the children."

NHS Blood and Transplant is encouraging people to register their support for organ donation after new figures showed a five-year high in patients from BAME backgrounds receiving an organ transplant.

It has published a report which found the number of transplants for people from BAME backgrounds in the UK increased from 1,129 in 2022/23 to 1,232 in 2023/24.

However, almost 80% of these organs came from white donors, as the number of people from BAME communities donating organs after death fell by 19% from 108 in 2022/23 to 88 in 2023/24 in the UK.

'Discuss wishes'

Mr Keshavji said: "A huge amount of work is going on to encourage donation but so far we are not getting so much result.

"But I will work to try and turn that around so the results are bigger than the effort."

Winnie Andango, from NHS Blood and Transplant, said thousands more people from minority ethnic groups were still waiting for transplants.

She added: "It’s vital that people continue to discuss their decision with their families and register their support for organ donation.

“Organ donation is supported by all major religions and belief systems, but we understand there are still perceived barriers to donation, whether that be for reasons of faith or culture."