A REDDITCH woman who rang Buckingham Palace asking for help when her father was dying of heart failure has organised a service of thanks for National Donor Week.
Elaine Whitfield’s father Arthur enjoyed 25 extra precious years after receiving a heart transplant in 1991.
Now she has organised ‘Gifts Beyond Price’ a service of thanksgiving at St Stephen’s Church to celebrate the lives of transplant recipients, donors, and their families.
And such has been its appeal that what Elaine thought of as a purely Redditch service has turned into a UK-wide event.
“I felt moved to write the service from a deeply held sense that there is a need to give thanks for the gift of life each transplant recipient receives,” said Elaine.
“That donor families are recognised because they are the ones who have the empty chair at the table and yet, in their darkest hour, have the generosity of spirit to give the chance of life to a stranger.
“To celebrate the skills of our transplant teams, to raise awareness for the need for organ donation and also in memory of my father who had an incredible 25 extra years after his heart transplant in 1991.”
Back then doctors at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch had given up all hope for Elaine Whitfield’s father.
Distraught, she rang Buckingham Palace where an aide gave her the name of a top consultant at Harefield Hospital the UK centre for heart transplants.
Elaine contacted him and he agreed to take on the case but after examining Arthur, said only a transplant could save his life.
After six nail-biting months a suitable donor was found and the operation went ahead.
“Without the organ donor there is no story, no hope, no transplant, however when there is an organ donor life springs from death, sorrow turns to hope and terrible loss becomes a gift – a gift we need to give thanks for and celebrate,” said Elaine.
Arthur finally passed away in April 2016.
Gifts Beyond Price will be held in St Stephen’s Church, Redditch, on September 2, at 3pm.
A number of dignitaries including the High Sheriff of Worcestershire, Stephen Betts, The Venerable Nikki Groarke, Archdeacon of Dudley, Redditch MP Rachel Maclean and the leader of Redditch Borough Council Bill Hartnett will all be there.
National Organ Donation Week runs from September 4-10.
