Hartlepool mum whose daughter Alice Skinner was saved by kidney transplant welcomes new donor opt-out law

Nicola Frankland’s daughter Alice Skinner, now 18, underwent a kidney transplant when she was just seven after years on the waiting list.

Nicola, of Clavering, Hartlepool, described a change in the law where patients will have to opt out of automatically donating their organs as ‘fantastic news’.

Known as Max and Keira’s Law, the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act, will come into effect on May 20 this year subject to parliamentary approval.

All adults in England will be considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate, known as ‘opt out’, or are in one of an excluded group including people under 18.

Nicola, 49, said: “We’re obviously over the moon. It’s what people have been wanting for a long time.

“The fact people will have to opt out rather than opt in, it makes a massive difference.

“It is still really important for people to have that conversation with their families about their wishes, but it’s fantastic news.”

Alice, who recently passed her driving test, required a kidney after her own did not form properly when she was a baby.

She was Britain's youngest patient to go on dialysis.

Alice’s transplant has allowed her to live a full and active life and hopes to work for the NHS in some way after being inspired by the care she received.

Nicola added she hopes the new law will lead to shorter waiting times and more patients receiving much-needed transplants.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “The majority of people tell us that they support organ donation in principle, yet only around 4 in 10 have actually registered their decision.

“Organ donation is and always will be a precious gift and if more people are inspired to support and agree to donation, then many more lives can be saved.”

To find out more visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 3032094.