A NORTHWICH woman stuck in the ‘horrendous situation’ of awaiting an organ transplant is urging people to consider joining the donation register.

As part of Organ Donation Week, running from September 3 to 9, new figures show that, in the past five years, 14 people in west Cheshire have died on the waiting list.

Occupational therapist Catherine Atherton, who has been waiting since January for a kidney and pancreas transplant, is hoping to join the 25 who received lifesaving transplants last year.

She has diabetes and went into kidney failure 2017, and now has three four-hour dialysis sessions a week.

“I’m struggling a bit at the moment with anaemia and am not able to work or do much, but other than that I’m feeling ok,” said Catherine.

“Unfortunately during my teenage years I didn’t take care of myself or my diabetes as well as I should have done.

“We all do silly impulsive things when we’re younger but my teenage rebellion has come back to bite me now”

For Catherine and husband Martyn, it’s a case of watching the phone and hoping for a transplant call.

“Most of the time I’m positive but I have moments when I feel very scared and low. It’s very lonely at times,” she said.

“I feel guilt that my husband is stuck in this horrendous situation with me and we’re not able to do things a normal married couple would be doing right now.

“Things like going on holidays, long walks, starting a family.

“I see my friends and family getting on with their lives and having children and I’m so happy for them, but I desperately wish it was us too.”

Catherine said she in favour of an ‘opt out’ organ donation system, given a boost earlier this year thanks largely to young Max Johnson from Winsford, whose life was saved with a new heart.

Catherine said: “Many people are pro organ donation but very few actually discussed their wishes with family or joined the register.

“With the opt out system it takes the pressure of that awful decision away from grieving families at a difficult time.

“Ultimately it is the individual’s decision if they want to donate their organs or not, but there is such a huge waiting list of scared and sick people who are daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends.

“People who are living life in limbo waiting desperately for a call so they can live again.

“If the very worst happens, a good thing can come from it and you’ll benefit so many patients and families who will be eternally grateful for that brave and generous decision to donate.”

Last year, 79 people in Cheshire had their lives saved by a transplant – 25 in west Cheshire and 27 in east.

Sadly, 51 people from the area have died waiting for a transplant in the last five years.

During Organ Donation Week, the NHS is urging families to talk about donation with the message ‘Words Save Lives’.

Anthony Clarkson, interim director of organ donation and transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “It’s tragic that so many people from Cheshire have died waiting for a transplant – what is shocking is that many of those lives could have been saved, had more families agreed to donate organs.

“People are dying every day because some families are not talking about donation. We need more families in Cheshire to say yes to organ donation, so that more lives can be saved.”

Only a small percentage of people die in circumstances where they can donate.

n organdonation.nhs.uk