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Interview: A Family Member Who Said No to Donation
Angel was approached about donation after her husband had a massive heart attack. In her state of shock and grief…she said no. It is a decision she’s regretted and hopes to help others avoid making the same mistake.
On a beautiful June evening, Angel’s husband Stewart suffered a heart attack on his way home from Karate class.
LifeSource approached Angel about donation very quickly after his death (this is necessary because tissues are only viable for a short period). In her fog of understandable pain and grief she said no to donation, and her decision was respected by the LifeSource team.
It didn’t take me years to come to the realization that the decision I made was the wrong one. It was literally days. So now I’m definitely a donor, I’ve encouraged others around me including my daughter to be a donor.
Angel Uddin
Angel hopes that others will learn from her experience and have the conversation about donation with their loved ones while they are still here. She explains, “Don’t leave it to the person who survives to make that decision. Particularly at that time because it’s so critical and it’s so painful.”
Need help with the donation conversation? Here’s a guide to sharing your decision.
How rare is organ donation? Well, only 1% of people registered as donors are able to donate after they pass away.