New organ donor law is a 'game changer' for Blackpool man waiting for kidney transplant

Steve Burton, 58, who has also been shielding since early March with his wife Lisa at their home in Grange Road, Layton, said the new law is a “game changer”.

While he said he was terrified of contacting coronavirus, he welcomed the change, which comes into force today, saying it offered him a real boost as he waits for his transplant.

All adults in England will be deemed to have given consent to donate their organs when they die, unless they explicitly state otherwise or are in an excluded group.

It has been estimated that the opt-out method, known as Max and Keira’s law, will lead to an additional 700 transplants each year by 2023.

Steve was diagnosed with stage five chronic kidney disease in 2018 and, despite being on diets to help “stretch” out the life of his kidney, he has been waiting to get the call for a new on since November.

Talking about the new law, he said: “It’s a game changer now because obviously I’m looking for the gift of life from somebody.

“The fact that a lot more people now are in that window for me to receive that gift, it’s only a good thing for me.”

Steve, who is currently on furlough from his job at a commercial catering business off Vicarage Lane, Marton, said all he can do is be ready for when his chance might come.

He said: “When you go on the waiting list you’re basically waiting for a phone call. So you carry your mobile 24/7 and at some point over two-and-a-half years, if you’re lucky, that call comes.

“Because of corona it’s now suspended, so there are no transplants taking place in Manchester until further notice.

“I stay exactly the same, I’m still prepped and ready to go until we start again which, at the moment, no-one really knows.”

Sandra Currie, chief executive of Kidney Research UK, said with eight out of 10 people on the waiting list requiring a kidney transplant, the new law is “life-changing news for kidney patients”.

She added: “Although there are currently some significant delays and disruption to transplant operations, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this legislation will help more transplants take place when the situation improves.”

Despite the law change, health minister Lord Bethell told peers in the House of Lords on Monday that the legislation “may not come into practice straightaway” due to the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.

Figures released by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) show the number of transplants carried out across the UK has dropped dramatically in recent weeks.

Just 99 such operations were performed in April compared with 244 in March.

NHSBT said it will take a while for organ donation to return to normal levels, but that already more potential donors are being referred and that donation and transplantation activity will increase “as it is appropriate and safe to do so, in the coming weeks and months”.