A brain hemorrhage that killed a 27-year-old man led to his organs being given to six different people. As a direct result of his kindness, each of them got a second chance at life.
Alex Newlove was born in Lancashire, in a town called Tarleton. He lived and worked in Chicago, where he did accounting and finance work. His 59-year-old mother, Judy Coutinho, said that he was living his “dream life” over there.
The 59-year-old woman said that her son had gotten sick at the beginning of the year 2020 and died from a brain hemorrhage when he came home for the holidays.
In an interview with BBC Radio Manchester, she said: ‘There was no warning. It happened like a bolt out of the blue for us.’
Alex and his mother had never talked about organ donation, but Alex’s mother said that after her son died, she was sure he would have wanted to donate his organs. The 59-year-old woman said she thought it was the right thing to do and called it a “incredible gift.”
Alex’s organs were given to six different people, including a 16-year-old girl who was able to celebrate her GCSE results and a young boy who was able to enjoy life with his mother.
Judy found out that Alex had signed the organ donation book four times to make it clear what he wanted to do.
She said: ‘I just felt that he would not want his organs not to help other people. What’s the point of them not helping other people, it wasn’t going to bring Alex back to us.’
Judy has had the chance to talk to a few of the people whose lives were saved because Alex gave his organs to others after he died.
The donor’s mother, who is 59 years old, said that the recipient, who was 16 at the time, did well on her GCSEs and was able to go to her prom because her son had donated an organ.
She said that staying in touch with them has made her feel better and helped her realize that doing so is always the right thing to do.
Judy also said that she got a letter from the mother of a young boy who got some of Alex’s liver. Judy has been comforted by the letters about how well the boy is doing. The letters say how well the boy is doing.
Judy supports the NHS campaign that asks people to talk to their families about their decision to donate organs and say clearly whether or not they want their organs to be used in transplants.
The new campaign talks about how bereaved families can be hurt by not knowing about organ donation.
Judy said that organ donation is a great thing to do as a last act of kindness in case the worst happens.
She went on to say that she never thought she’d be in that situation and that it’s good to have an open conversation with a loved one because it lets you find out what that person wants.
The campaign is a response to recent changes in the law that make it easier to donate organs.
This means that all adults are potential donors unless they choose not to be or are in one of the groups that can’t donate.
But families are still asked if they are okay with organs from a loved one who has died being given away before it happens.
According to research done by the NHS, 80% of people are willing to donate their organs, but only 39% have told anyone about their plans.
