A 23-year-old man from Lymm who saved the lives of four people through the gift of organ donation has been posthumously honoured at a moving award ceremony.
Oliver Wright was one of a number of people from across the North West who received the Order of St John for Organ Donation at a ceremony in Manchester. He was the eldest of four – he had a brother and two sisters – and had passed his Class 1 HGV at an early age.
Oliver was working for a Manchester based haulage firm, CSM (North West) Ltd – driving all over the UK.
Sadly, he died in December last year. He had signed up for organ donation and was able to donate to four people, giving his kidneys, pancreas and liver. Oliver also donated heart tissue.
His Dad Simon said: “Oliver’s big passion in life was driving – cars and big trucks! Oliver was a beautiful, fun loving young man – the best friend you could wish for always, willing to help others even if things were not going well for himself. Oliver was the character that got everybody going at a party and was a larger-than-life personality in a room.
“Oliver passed his driving test as soon as he possibly could – going on to pass his Class 2 HGV and then as soon as he could he went in for his Class 1 HGV – all of which he passed first time. Everyone remarked on such a young man driving these huge articulated trucks wherever he went.
“He was the first of his three siblings to join the local primary school – always ready to support and make friends with anyone that wasn’t too confident or needed a friend to help them. This kind and caring nature would stay with him throughout his life – looking after his brother and sisters but also friends whenever anybody needed help, Oliver was always offering to help wherever he could.
“Oliver also went out of his way to give time and spoke to neighbours young and old whenever he saw them. Oliver was always willing to give his time up for others and it came as no surprise that Oliver had chosen to help others if anything was to ever happen to himself.
“Oliver’s death came suddenly in the hospital and as a family we were asked about organ donation. In the moment when the news of losing a loved one is at its most raw and painful – the very thought of thinking about anything else is extremely difficult to absorb and even more difficult to consider anything other than the most awful news that has just been given.
“The organ donation team are extremely well versed in handling this point in time and use a very patient and considerate method, however they are tasked with delivering the question and finding out if it is a possibility in a very restricted time frame.
“We as a family discussed the possibility of organ donation for Oliver and we arrived at the decision to say yes – we were then told that Oliver himself had previously given consent to organ donation. He had signed the register when he got his driving licence, off his own back and we didn’t know. We found it massively comforting to know that both us and Oliver believed in the same value of organ donation and we knew we were doing the right thing.
“Organ donation is a decision that you hope to never have to make but it’s a decision that can change lives – it was also to prove something that we as a family have found huge comfort in and has given us a legacy to hold onto which we would not have had without the organ donation.
“When we were contacted to inform us of the Order of St Johns awards we were 100 per cent sure that we wanted to attend in Oliver’s name. The occasion is very poignant especially when you see other families who have lost someone – but the pride and love in the room from all those people is very moving.
“We are immensely proud of Oliver and the gift that he has been able to give others means we know somewhere a little part of him continues.
“For us the loss of Oliver has left us with a permanent hole in our lives where he used to be – the thought that out in the world other families have perhaps been saved that same loss gives us a great deal of comfort.”
Oliver’s mum is Jill and his siblings are Henry, Scarlett and Harriett.
Mick Messinger, Chancellor of the Priory of England and the Islands of the Order of St John, said: “It is a pleasure and privilege to work with NHS Blood and Transplant again on a 10th year of ceremonies to mark the wonderful gifts of life given by people who chose to donate organs and their families who supported them in this decision. These events are always very emotional and I pay tribute to all the families that attend and, most of all, to their loved ones who have selflessly helped others to live after their own passing.”
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Organ donors and their families are truly inspirational people. Every donor transforms the lives of people they don’t know and the pride their families rightly feel is incredibly powerful.
“Patients who have received a transplant tell us that organ donors and their families are their heroes. The Order of St John awards, which we are proud to have been running with the Order of St John for 10 years, are a chance for us all to recognise organ donors and their amazing contribution to society.
“We hope these awards will inspire other people in Greater Manchester and Cheshire to decide they want to donate their organs and confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Saving the lives of others is an amazing legacy to leave and donor families say donation is a source of pride that helps them in their grief.
“We want to ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to donate their organs and save lives. Please confirm your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk.”
For more information about organ donation, or to register for organ donation, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. NHS app users can also use the service to record, check or update their organ donation decision.
