“My husband saved eight lives after death.”

Karen Piotr was devastated when her husband Mark died suddenly from a fatal brain hemorrhage seven years ago.

However, as she grieved, she recalled a seemingly casual remark the 49-year-old man made after they went to donate blood together.

At that moment, Mark joked. “They drank a pint of my Yorkshire's finest wine. If anything happens, you can drink lots of it!”

His comments resonated with her after doctors told Bradford University administrators there was nothing they could do to save Mark.

She agreed to donate Mark's organs, and eight people have since received their organs. They include Sheffield artist and muralist Pete McKee, who received a liver transplant.

Karen, from Queensbury, said: “When I think back to the conversation we had when we were in intensive care, it's a completely strange conversation. But I quickly turned around and said, 'You know, we're organ donors. So please stop.' You?'

“Eight people alive now have a second chance at life because I knew of his decision and was happy to respect it.”

In the years since Mark's death, Karen has become a passionate advocate for organ donation, raising awareness and encouraging others to confirm their wishes to register as an NHS donor.

She currently chairs Bradford Royal Infirmary's Organ Donation Committee.

During Organ Donation Week (September 23-29), Karen is urging others to have important conversations with their families about their wishes in case an unexpected tragedy occurs.

While most donor families never meet the recipient of their loved one's organs, Karen had the opportunity to meet two of them, and she called the experience “overwhelming.”

“Pete McKee came up to me, hugged me and whispered in my ear, 'Thank you.' Since then, we've been to a lot of events together. He's learning to play golf. I loved it.

“The other man, Adam Buckborough, received a kidney from Mark, married his childhood sweetheart and now they're buying a house together. I think that's really great.”

Karen has several fundraising events planned this month, including a “Race for Recipients” challenge with relatives of hospital staff and other donors.

of organ donor registry was established 30 years ago and more than 7,600 people remain on the waiting list for a transplant, including 92 in the Bradford area. In 2023, 80 patients will receive transplants in the city.

The UK operates an 'opt-out' system for organ donation, where anyone is considered a donor unless they specifically opt out. However, individuals should still confirm their decisions and, most importantly, discuss their wishes with their families.

Campaigners like Karen want to empower people to actively declare their wishes to their loved ones.

Dr James Morgan, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation at Bradford Teaching Hospital, said: 'To save more lives now and in the future, we need more people in Bradford and across the region to make a decision on the register. We need to confirm that today.” It has the potential to save nine lives and this is a great legacy to leave behind. ”

Among those waiting for a transplant is Mohamed Izzy Islam, 48, a former paramedic who has been on the kidney waiting list for three years.

This will be his second transplant as his body rejected his brother's kidney during a previous surgery. Izzy, from Batshawe, called on more people from BAME backgrounds to consider organ donation.

“There are a lot of misconceptions and myths. But one imam said to me, 'What god would say not to save a life?'”

Although the transplant failed, Izzy remains grateful and passionate about spreading the message.

“Receiving a kidney transplant was life-changing for me. If you have the opportunity or are considering it, please contact me for more information. It is literally the gift of life.”

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