Tissue Donation Ambassadors: spreading the word

With patients waiting for many kinds of donated tissue, the work of these ambassadors is more important than ever

At the moment, we need 10 donations daily to meet corneal transplant demands, but we’re currently falling short of this target. Other tissues, such as heart valves, are also in short supply, yet one donor could help up to 50 patients.

Avril’s story

Dedicated Tissue Donation Ambassadors, like Avril Marshall, are working to promote tissue donation, raising awareness with the goal of increasing the supply of all types of tissue for patients.

Avril says:

“It is such a rewarding thing to do, spreading the word regarding tissue donation (and) most of the time to people that don’t even know what tissue donation is. Getting across the need to discuss with your family what your wishes are for when you die is so important.

“It is very varied work, from going around hospital wards giving information, attending events such as Organ Donation Week and Dying Matters Week (to) being interviewed on the local radio about what tissue donation is.

The main surprise about tissue donation is the huge number of people that can benefit from just one person’s donations.”

Ali’s story

Ali Cooper tragically lost her husband when he had a heart attack and passed away 18 years ago. She says, “The one thing that’s constant, that has kept me going, is the fact that we could donate his corneas and his skin.’

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