Sheffield grandfather's organ donation saved three lives, says NHS trust

Brian Stapleton had always carried a donor card, his family said

A grandfather's decision to become an organ donor meant he could save the lives of three people after he died, a health trust has said.

Brian Stapleton, 69, a retired NHS worker from Sheffield, died last October after a sudden cardiac arrest.

He donated his kidneys, liver, corneas, and the valves from his heart, saving three lives, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said.

His daughter Megan Healy urged others to join the organ donation register.

The trust said Mr Stapleton had been in seemingly good health before his cardiac arrest, and had spent the day painting.

He woke in the night with what he thought was indigestion and chest pain, but his wife Josie soon realised it was more serious and called an ambulance.

He was taken to Northern General Hospital in Sheffield

She performed CPR on him, restarting his heart, but he suffered another cardiac arrest in the Accident and Emergency department of Northern General Hospital.

Mr Stapleton had a blockage in an artery to his heart, which required an angioplasty and a stent to help prevent the artery from closing again.

The couple's daughter Ms Healy, who has worked at the trust for the past 20 years, said the hospital staff were "amazing" but as a nurse she knew what the prognosis would be.

She and her mum were told that due to the length of time his heart had stopped, he had suffered a hypoxic brain injury and would not be able to live.

"The team had started discussing organ donation with us and, given that Dad had been registered as a donor since its inception and both he and Mum held donor cards, we knew that his preference would be to donate," she said.

"The consultant and organ donation nurse guided us through the process and took a medical history from Mum about my dad.

"They then sent out to see if he had any potential matches, which fortunately he did."

Sharing their story as part of NHS Organ Donation Week, Ms Healy said: "Dad dedicated 40 years of his life to the NHS prior to his retirement, he was a brilliant grandad to my children and a keen football supporter.

"It's comforting to see the incredible impact my dad's decision to join the register has had on so many people and their families.

"I would encourage anyone to consider signing up to the organ donation register if they can."