Sussex Air Ambulance family shares son’s organ donation legacy

A family supported by Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex is sharing the story of their son’s organ donation legacy during Organ Donation Week.

George Elliott was just 23 when he suffered a catastrophic aneurysm and collapsed at work in August 2015.

A medical team from KSS, which provides lifesaving emergency care across Sussex as well as Kent and Surrey, was among those called to help him.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, George died.

His parents, Claire and Mark Elliott, are now using Organ Donation Week, which runs from 22 to 28 September, to encourage people across Sussex and beyond to talk to their families about organ donation.

George had made his own wishes clear years earlier.

He first became interested in organ donation at the age of 11 after watching a television programme with his parents. He later carried an organ donor card and told his family that he wanted his organs to be used to help others if anything happened to him.

After his death, George’s organs helped nine people.

Those who benefited included a young child and a man who received George’s heart and lungs when he was reportedly around 24 hours from death.

George’s mother Claire said: “There’s no way we would have said no to organ donation because that's what George wanted. He was a very caring and loving young man, so we feel very lucky to have been able to make his wishes come true.

“We’ll always be grateful for everything KSS did for George that day and for the care and compassion they showed then and continued to show our family.”

Several years later, Claire and Mark met the man who had received George’s heart and lungs.

The transplant gave him another seven years of life, allowing him to see his children complete their GCSEs and A-levels and go on to university.

Mark said: “It was lovely to meet him and to see that they could still be a family together because of George.”

George’s liver, kidneys, corneas and other tissues were also donated.

His family says knowing that his organs were able to help so many people has brought them comfort following his death.

Claire said: “It’s helped us massively knowing that George was able to benefit so many people, even after he died. He’s made a huge difference to the lives of so many people.

“Organ donation makes such a difference to the recipient’s lives, but it’s made a difference to us too. It means George’s life wasn’t wasted. He’s helped an awful lot of people, and probably still does. For us, it means he’s still around.”

George’s legacy has also continued through support for the air ambulance charity which helped care for him.

Over the past decade, his family and friends have raised more than £125,000 for KSS through fundraising events and activities.

The charity provides specialist emergency medical care to people across Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

KSS HEMS Paramedic David Wright, who was part of the team that attended George, said: “George's story has stayed with many of us over the years. We're incredibly grateful to Claire, Mark, their family and friends for the support they have shown KSS in his memory.

“George's legacy is extraordinary. Not only has he helped transform the lives of so many people through organ donation, but his family's fundraising has helped KSS continue caring for patients across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. It's a legacy that continues to make a difference every day.”

During Organ Donation Week, Claire and Mark are urging people to make their wishes known and speak to those closest to them about what they would want.

Claire added: “Being able to donate George’s organs helped us massively. We would encourage everyone to think about organ donation and talk to their loved ones about what they would want.”

To read more about George’s story visit the KSS website, www.aakss.org.uk. For more information about organ donation, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.

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