A York couple whose lives were saved by organ transplants are making an urgent Valentine's Day appeal for people to join the donor register as the UK waiting list reaches a record 8,200 people. Wendy Caulkin, 46, who received a new heart in 2011, now faces years of dialysis while waiting for a kidney transplant.
The cardiac nurse's kidney failure stems from immunosuppressant drugs protecting her donated heart. Her husband Richard, 44, received a double lung transplant in 2009 after being born with cystic fibrosis. The couple met at the British Transplant Games in 2013, married three years later, and incorporated donor cards into their wedding favours.
Current Struggle
Wendy is about to begin dialysis with no living kidney donor available. «I don't have a living kidney donor, so I have to go on the waiting list for a deceased donor, which relies on others registering their decision to donate and discussing it with their families,» she said.
The psychological toll weighs heavily. «We're back to me having to rely on somebody else so that I can live and as well as the physically debilitating side of things, it is psychologically really hard,» Wendy explained. «I've been through one transplant, but this one's different because now I've had a taste of life and I've been living it to the fullest.»
Richard has watched his wife's health decline sharply. «To see how much she's declined in the last year is quite scary,» he said. «When you've got plans for the future you want to get on with life, but everything's on pause again.» The couple spent their recent 10th wedding anniversary at home rather than on their usual city break.
Urgent Appeal
The Caulkins emphasize the stark statistics. «People's lives depend on organ donation – there are more people needing an organ than there are donors and the statistics show you're more likely to need a transplant than you are to actually become an organ donor,» Wendy said.
Richard stressed the simplicity of the gift. «Signing the organ donor register doesn't mean you will automatically become an organ donor, but it's about raising that awareness that you could provide someone with a simple, ordinary life,» he said. «That's all people want when they've been critically ill with a failing organ, to live a normal life.»
Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, supported their call. «Sadly the UK transplant waiting list has reached record levels, with 8,200 people still waiting for a lifesaving transplant,» he said. «This Valentine's Day we are urging people to confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and save lives.»
Message of Hope
Despite uncertainty, the couple maintains hope. «We keep holding on to hope, because without hope there is nothing,» Wendy said. She expressed profound gratitude to their donors: «'Thank you' is insufficient for the decade of life together our donors have granted us so far. We carry you in every breath Richard takes and every beat of my heart.»
Their Valentine's Day message is clear. «If you haven't yet, please register as an organ donor this Valentine's Day – and just as importantly, talk to your family about your wishes,» Wendy urged. «That one choice has the potential to create a future you'll never see – but one that means everything to someone else.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
