Woman meets recipient of her twin sister's hands

The NHS Blood and Transplant service can arrange for families and transplant recipients to meet.

A woman has met the transplant patient who received her sister's hands, describing the feeling of transforming another person's life as "absolutely incredible".

Deborah Gosling took her twin, Julie Wild, to hospital in January 2019, where she died following a sudden brain haemorrhage.

Ms Wild, 51, and a mum of two boys, was a blood donation nurse before she became a phlebotomist (someone who takes blood samples from patients) at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Ms Gosling, 57, from Sheffield, said her sister's hands "couldn't have gone to anyone better" than Corinne Hutton, who lost her legs and hands as a result of sepsis in 2013.

Sisters Deborah and Julie had been taking holidays together in recent years, Ms Gosling said.

During an emotional first meeting in Leeds, the two women hugged, with Ms Gosling recalling she "couldn't take her eyes off" Ms Hutton's hands.

Ms Hutton, from Lochwinnoch, Scotland, now has about 95% function in her right hand and 75% function in her left hand.

The 54-year-old said: "I spend a lot of time looking at them and showing them to people, and of course, I remember Julie every single time.

"I always make sure my nails are perfect. That's important to me, and it's also respect for Julie as well."

"It's hard to describe, but it's quite comforting to know someone has got her hands - that part of her lives on in a way," explains Ms Gosling.

"She was such a soft, caring person. She was my best friend, and I am still lost without her."

Ms Gosling, a paramedic, was "taken aback" when asked about limb donation as she had not heard of it before, but she agreed without hesitation.

"Julie didn't need them anymore, but someone else did," she said.

"They could not have gone to anyone better. Corinne is an incredible woman and it's fantastic that she's so grateful to her donor."

Ms Hutton has regained most of the function in her hands.

The two women have kept in touch since that first meeting, with Ms Gosling attending a half-marathon in Edinburgh to cheer on Ms Hutton.

Since her transplant, which took 12 hours of surgery at Leeds General Infirmary, Ms Hutton has founded Finding Your Feet, a charity supporting families affected by amputation or limb loss.

Reflecting on her new hands, she said: "I will never forget that I'm lucky. I'll never forget where they've come from, and hopefully I will give them a good life."

Her sister said Ms Gosling had enjoyed karaoke, adding that her favourite song was It's No Sacrifice by Elton John

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is the only place in the UK to offer hand transplants, with specialist nurses approaching a possible donor if they spot a potential match.

Hand and other limb transplants are not part of the "opt-out" NHS Organ Donor Register, where individuals are understood to have agreed to donation unless they have stated otherwise, subject to discussions with their family.

Ms Wild's pancreas, liver, and both kidneys were also donated for lifesaving and life-improving transplants.

Ms Gosling said: "To give somebody a chance of enhancing their life is absolutely incredible.

"I'd say to other people – don't hesitate. What good are your organs and limbs when you have passed away?"

Waiting lists for organ transplants are currently their highest in a decade.

Anthony Clarkson, director of donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "No transplant - and no new transplant programme - is possible without the selfless generosity of donors and their families.

"We urge people to confirm they want to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register - and then tell their families they want to donate."

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