'Too few people' know about sight-saving cornea donation

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Avril CarterImage source, HUW JOHN
Image caption,

Avril's late husband John was the first person to donate his corneas at the Marie Curie Hospice, Cardiff, for several years

A widow "didn't hesitate" to back the wish of her photography-loving husband to donate his corneas, amid what a charity has called a UK-wide shortage.

There have been 111 cornea donors in Wales since April - and England and Wales need 90 donors a week to redress the deficit.

Avril Carter's husband John, 67, died of oesophageal cancer in November 2017.

She said sight was "particularly important" to the professional cameraman.

Mrs Carter, of Llandaff, Cardiff, said this made him want to donate his corneas.

Mr Carter was diagnosed with stage 2 oesophageal cancer in 2014, but went into remission for three years.

His wife described the recovery process as "slow and often frustrating," but then, in 2017, the cancer returned.

"I think deep down we both knew how ill he was and that he wouldn't want to go through anymore treatment," Mrs Carter said.

Image source, Family photograph
Image caption,

Avril Carter said her husband's treatment gave him "three more happy years with family and friends"

After a CT scan, he was admitted to hospital at the beginning of November 2017 and died shortly after.

"John wholeheartedly believed in helping others through organ donation, so when he learnt that the cancer had eliminated his chance of donating his internal organs, he asked about his options," said Mrs Carter.

"He was a professional cameraman and loved photography, so his sight was particularly important to him. That's why he decided that he wanted to donate his corneas."

Dr Siwan Seaman, palliative medicine consultant at Marie Curie Hospice, said: "90 donors a week are needed to achieve the deficit that we are currently facing, but that has not been met this year.

"I don't think that people are being given the information about donating their corneas, so they don't know they can do it.

"A lot of people who die in certain circumstances are unable to donate their organs, but your tissue is very different. After death, there is a 24-hour window where the corneas can be retrieved."

Image source, Family photograph
Image caption,

Since John Carter's death, 44 people at Marie Curie Hospice have donated their corneas, enabling sight restorative procedures for up to 88 patients

Mrs Carter said: "It was really hard being told a few hours after my partner of 40 years had died that they needed my permission to operate on his eyes.

"But I know it would have made John happy and so I didn't even hesitate in supporting his decision."

"I know it would have given him great comfort to know that he has been able to help someone regain their sight," Mrs Carter added.

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