Man let down by donor system donates organs

[okarol]

Man let down by donor system donates organs


By Kerry Grove »

A devoted football fan who died after being dropped from the heart transplant waiting list has given up his organs for transplant to save the lives of three women.

Michael Hills died at the age of 20 on May 14, after suffering a blood clot to the brain at Harefield Hospital, near Uxbridge.

The former Richard Challoner School pupil, who lived in Surbiton, was laid to rest at Our Lady Immaculate Church, Tolworth, last week.

His tearful mum Nina Hills said: “He was going to get the organs but then he ended up giving the organs.”

She has visited his grave every day since and has raised questions about his treatment.

The family is due to meet doctors in the coming weeks to find out why Michael had been dropped from the transplant list after being told he was next in line.

They discovered only days before his death that he had been off the list of eight weeks and claim the consultants and nurses had no idea why.

They also want to know why an emergency operation on his brain was not carried out to save his life, despite the risks.

Michael, who had muscular dystrophy, spent many years in and out of hospital with heart conditions. He had a pacemaker, which turned out to be faulty and lead to him developing an infection.

He was also fitted with a HeartMate, an electronic machine outside the body that helped to pump his blood.

Mrs Hills agreed to donate her son’s organs, despite apparently being let down by the donor system herself.

Michael’s pancreas has been given to a 28-year-old mother, his kidney to a woman with a 17-year-old daughter and his liver to a 31-year-old woman. She said: “At least part of my son is living.”

Football was Michael’s biggest passion and he would regularly watch FC Tolworth play at Goals with his father Alan. He was also a Chelsea fan and the family has received a letter from John Terry offering his condolences.

FC Tolworth manager Eric Wicks dedicated the penultimate game of the season to him and the team went on to win the league.

He said: “Mikey was an inspiration to the team as he battled for a normal life, not to complain about his illness, never losing that cheeky smile of his.”

A spokesperson for Harefield Hospital said: “We would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the Hills family following the very sad loss of their son. Michael was well known at the hospital – he was popular with staff and patients alike.

“Without wishing to comment on an individual case, it is not uncommon for patients to be temporarily taken off the transplant list for medical reasons, if their health either deteriorates or improves. This decision is made by a multi-disciplinary team of consultants, including both cardiologists and surgeons.

“When our patients require neurosurgery, the assessment of whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks of such procedures is made by senior colleagues at specialist neurological centres, who have the appropriate expertise in such situations. Unfortunately some groups of patients, such as those with ventricular assist devices which support many patients on our heart transplant waiting list, are at an increased risk of stroke.”

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/4438113.Man_let_down_by_donor_system_donates_organs/