Transplant patients share the extraordinary impact organ donors have to mark Organ Donation Week 2025

To mark Organ Donation Week (September 22nd to September 28th), transplant patients from Royal Brompton and Harefield have shared the extraordinary impact organ donors have on their lives.  

As a world-leading centre for heart and lung transplantation, staff across our hospitals see every day how a single decision to donate can offer a second chance at life and that is why collectively, they are urging everyone to take a moment to register to be an organ donor and talk to loved ones about their wishes. 

For patients waiting for a transplant, that conversation could mean everything. 

"I wish I could tell him thank you."

Cystic fibrosis patient, Joe Russell, 48, received a lung transplant 10 years ago at Harefield Hospital. He was discharged after 3 weeks. He said: “It was shocking how quickly I went from being mobile to being on oxygen. After my transplant, I felt transformed. The change was so dramatic. I just felt this joy of being alive.” 

Joe wrote a heartfelt letter to his donor’s family to express his gratitude.  Joe has shared his words, to help spark conversations about registering to be an organ donor. 

"I am so sorry he is gone and I can't imagine how much you miss him. I wish I could tell him thank you, but that is something I will never be able to do. Instead, all I can do is say to you, his dearest family, thank you for consenting to your loved one's donation and then let my actions and the life I go on to lead be my thanks to him. 

"It is the most incredible thing, an impossible thing made possible by your loved one's ultimate act of kindness and selflessness. This is what he has done: given me freedom, a new life, everything. 

"And I will never forget it. I will never forget him."

 Listen to Joe's letter being read out. 

“Things I thought I’d never do again are back on the table”  

Ian Hilliard, 53, was admitted to Harefield’s critical care unit in January 2023 with heart failure. Too unwell to leave, Ian spent more than 21 months at Harefield until he had a heart transplant in September 2024.  

He said: “I am so lucky to have been gifted this donor heart. Many things I thought I’d never do or see again are back on the table. And even though my own heart didn’t serve me long enough, I discovered I had three valves that could potentially be used again, and the organ itself I donated for research purposes. I would encourage everyone to consider signing up to the Organ Donor Register – it can be life changing.” 

Ian used photography as meditation, capturing seasonal changes in plant life and wildlife species within Harefield’s grounds. An exhibition was displayed at Harefield Hospital, called: ‘The more you look, the more you see’. 

Read about Ian's exhibition and his transplant journey. 

Mark: “I have a new lease of life, I’ve started baking!” 

Mark Bromage, had a heart transplant in February this year. After a mild heart attack in 2023, he experienced a more severe one in 2024. He was transferred to Harefield and put straight onto the waiting list for a new heart. 

He said: “Since the transplant I have a new lease of life. I get out walking with the dog every morning for an hour. I love it. Getting out early and seeing another day, seeing friends. I've also become a baker. I don’t know why. I never baked before!”

Mark now volunteers in Harefield’s gardens, bringing a cake with him, and has raised more than £6,000 for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity. 

Watch a video of Mark discussing the impact of his heart transplant.

Vicky: “Many lives have been transformed by transplant” 

Vicky Gerovasilli is a lung transplant physician, looks after patients who are being considered for a lung transplant, are recovering from a recent transplant or have had a transplant many years ago.  

She said: “We tell patients when they get a transplant that they are family now. It is a relationship that is going to be lifelong and it is a very privileged relationship to have. We build a strong bond with our patients because we've been with them through their darkest hour. Many lives have been transformed by transplant. It gives purpose for me.” 

More people than ever before are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in the UK, but donor and transplant numbers have fallen.  

Find out about why it’s more important than ever to register as an organ donor. Get involved in this year's Organ Donation Week