Wiltshire mum urges families to discuss organ donation

Ms Pearce said she remains proud of her son's decision

The family of a young man from Wiltshire who died after a seizure are urging people to talk to each other about organ donation.

Before Jack Pearce died in February 2020, he decided he wanted to opt in to donate some of his organs.

In 2021, the law in England was changed and now requires people to opt out of organ donation.

His mother, Julie Pearce, said her son "lives on" in other people and hopes others discuss their options.

According to the NHS, the new legislation helped 225 people get life saving transplants during 2021.

In the West of England there are currently 436 patients still waiting for an organ transplant.

Jack Pearce was 20 when he died

Ms Pearce said: "I got a kind of comfort thinking that although I'm not going to see my son again, he has passed away, but there are parts of him now living in someone else.

"He has given someone else a better life or even saved someone's life. I'm very proud of him."

Her son donated four of his organs.

Ms Pearce is in touch with the person who received his liver, who at the time had not been given long to live.

She said the recipient was "overwhelmed" by her son's kindness.

"He said to me: 'Your son is the bravest person I've probably ever met, he's given me my life back and now I'm able to spend time with my children, able to walk them to school and have a first Christmas watching them open presents,'" she added.

Mr Pearce's friends and family have put up a bench on his old route home from school in his memory

Jack Pearce's friends and family have set up a bench in his memory

NHS Blood and Transplant doctor Brian Tierney said the NHS has seen an increase in organ donations since the law was changed.

"However the reality is that these changes have come into force in the middle of a pandemic, so it's really difficult to quantify how successful the changes in legislation have been," he said.

The NHS said even though the law has been changed, families will still be consulted before organ donation goes ahead.