A Leeds dad tragically died just hours after he and his wife saw a scan of their baby for the first time.
Paul Thompson, 49, went to the hospital with his wife Lisa in May 2019. Lisa was 14 weeks pregnant, and the two were ecstatic to get to see a scan of their fourth child for the first time.
After the scan, Paul went out to run an errand, but he never came home as he sadly collapsed from a brain haemorrhage while he was out.
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Lisa, 41, and Paul's mum agreed to donate his organs and tissue. His donation saved the lives of up to nine other people.
Lisa, from Leeds, said: "We’d been together twenty years and were happy and had just been to my scan. Paul was ecstatic that day, he was so happy to become a dad again. When he didn’t come home that evening, I knew something bad had happened and rang the hospital.
“When I got there Paul was on life support and they said the haemorrhage was too big and his brain was shutting down. He was fit and healthy so it was a big shock.
“It’s all a bit of a blur but the care was amazing, when my world was falling apart. I remember the hospital asked about organ donation, we hadn’t talked about it so it was completely out of the blue. Me and Paul’s mum said we think he’d like that, being the person he was – outgoing and wanting to help others.
“We got special time with Paul, we lay with him, we played songs and shed lots of tears. Then they said they were ready for him and I knew people were waiting to be saved, it is a moment I’ll never forget and I’m very proud of Paul.
“I had to keep going for the baby and my other children, Nevaeh Paola arrived in November that year, a day after the 6 month anniversary of losing Paul. I’ve also had comfort from knowing Paul saved nine lives, including a child."
As well as Nevaeh, now three, Paul and Lisa had three other children together: Isabella Gabriella, 15, Andre Paul, 13, and Ava Grace, 10. Paul was honoured at a ceremony at Leeds Civic Hall in September of this year for the lives he saved.
Around 30 donors including Paul were honoured posthumously and received the Order of St John Award for Organ Donation, run with NHS Blood and Transplant. The awards were given to their bereaved families.
Lisa said: “The award ceremony was lovely, very emotional but nice and it was good to take Nevaeh, now three, as she never got to meet Paul.”
Through 2019, 2020 and 2021, more than 4,000 people donated their organs after death. That has led to around 10,000 lives being transformed or saved in that time.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “The pride families feel at these moving ceremonies truly is inspirational. Transplant patients tell us that organ donors and their families are heroes and the Order of St John award is a chance for us all to recognise them and their amazing contribution to society.
“We hope these awards will inspire people in Leeds and across West Yorkshire to tell their families they want to save lives. Being clear with your family about what you want makes things easier at a difficult time, leave them certain about your organ donation decision.
"Families say donation is a source of pride that helps them in their grief and we want to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to donate and save lives. Please tell your family about your organ donation decision and join the NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk.”
Mick Messinger, Chancellor of the Priory of England and the Islands of the Order of St John, said: “We’re delighted to be able to work with NHS Blood and Transplant to run the Order of St John Awards for Organ Donation again. It is so important to recognise all organ donors and it is an inspiration to meet the families attending the ceremonies. Organ donation saves lives, and it is a genuine privilege to be able to say thank you to these families, whose loved ones have had such an impact on others.”
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