THE mother of an 11-year-old boy from Oswestry whose life was saved after receiving a new heart, is urging people to register as organ donors.

Oliver Harrison received a donor in 2013 and now, during Organ Donation Week which runs until September 8, his mum Emma Humphreys hopes to raise awareness to help people discuss the “taboo subject” with their families.

Emma aims to help avoid wasted donations and says the journey to the point her son received a new heart was one fraught with dangers.

By the age of two, Oli had undergone three open-heart surgeries, his options were running out so he had a mechanical valve fitted on half of his heart but he by February 2013 he was added to the urgent transplant list. This bridged time before a transplant,” Emma said.

“He was basically receiving palliative care, nothing was going to fix it.

“But in February 2013 he was very sick, so he was added to the urgent transplant list.

“In August of the same year, we were called at 3am and put on a private jet to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for Oli to get his new heart. We really were against time. He was in theatre by 11am and didn’t get out of there until midnight.

“And a while after the transplant, his body went into acute rejection. The transplant life is a scary journey.”

Despite the difficult future Oli still faces, including checks at the hospital every eight weeks, Emma is grateful for her son’s donor and their family for giving him a new life.

She said: “Not only has his life been saved, he’s been given a new one. And that’s all thanks to his donor’s family for their amazing, selfless gift of life.”

“He’s just amazing. He now represents Oswestry Cricket Club under-11s and plays football for school. He’s also still around to be a big brother to Harry.

“As a family we try to use every minute of our lives enjoying ourselves and making happy memories.

“Not a day goes by when we don’t think of Oli’s donor family. We still keep in contact with them by email.”

From spring 2020, all adults will be considered for organ donation. But NHS Blood and Transplant is still urging people to talk to their families about organ donation to increase the number of people whose lives can be saved or transformed by an organ transplant.

Last year, 23 people in Shropshire had their lives saved by a transplant and currently, 37 in Shropshire are still waiting for that life-saving call.

Anthony Clarkson, director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We need more people in Shropshire to talk about organ donation to increase the number of lifesaving transplants.

“Even after the law around organ donation changes next year, families will still be approached before organ donation goes ahead. So it remains so important to talk to your families about your views.”

Register your decision by visiting NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and share your decision with your family.