Organ donor campaign plea to Prime Minister
A MOTHER whose son died whilst waiting for a life-saving double lung transplant has written to the Prime Minister asking him to change the law on organ donation.
Jill Oxley, from Chaddlewood, lost her son at the beginning of September.
Twenty-one-year-old Jon Paul Oxley, who had chronic cystic fibrosis, died following a lung infection.
The charity campaigner had been on a waiting list for a life-saving double lung transplant for 19 months.
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Mrs Oxley has now written to David Cameron in the hope he will change the law to an opt-out system, meaning that everyone would automatically be an organ donor unless they chose not to be.
She said: "I'm hoping to achieve my son's wishes and get organ donation made compulsory.
"I know I need 100,000 signatures to get the issue even heard in Parliament but I will do it – I'm determined to do it. I wrote to the Prime Minister because I need him to give me an answer with regards to the law change. I know we've got the backing of the people of Plymouth through The Herald's Gift of Life campaign but we need to take this to a higher level as well.
"If the Prime Minister doesn't reply, I'll go to the health minister. I won't stop. My husband is with me all the way and my daughter, who lives in Portsmouth, is even getting people up there to sign the register."
Most of Jon Paul's family have signed up to become organ donors since he was put on a waiting list.
Mrs Oxley said: "I think Jon Paul would be proud of me writing to the Prime Minister. I'd like to get as many of the 100,000 signatures as possible from the people of Plymouth. This is important. I'm not going to stop until the law is changed.
"Perhaps if the law had already been in place my son might still be alive. I can't emphasise enough that organs are no good to you once you're gone. There are so many organs being wasted every day.
"I'm raring to go with this. It's what Jon Paul wanted. I know I couldn't save him but if I can help someone else to live I will."
Mrs Oxley will be at Endsleigh Garden Centre, off the A38, on Saturday, from 10.30am until 2pm, where she will be handing out leaflets about organ donation and getting people to sign her petition to get the law changed.
THE Herald’s Gift of Life campaign, launched with the support of Jon Paul’s family and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, aims to inspire another 1,000 city people to register as organ donors.
By visiting www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/giftoflife you can read all about the campaign and join up.
Scroll down the page and click on the ‘CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION FORM’ line.
Complete the form and send to FREEPOST RRZK-SHUX-SBCK, NHS Blood and Transplant, Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PR.
Alternatively visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, or call the NHS Donor Line on 0300 123 2323. Lines are open 24 hours a day all year round. Calls are charged at contracted rate for local calls.
People can also join when they are registering for a driving licence, applying for a Boots Advantage card, registering at a GP surgery or registering for a European Health Insurance card (EHIC).
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