This was the day that my father met Musali, the boy in the sand, when he was walking along the beach one morning. He discovered that he was placed in the sand to correct his club feet and realised this was not the appropriate treatment. So he returned the next day and met the child’s parents and arranged a visit to the orthopaedic team. It was more complicated than club feet as he also had a congenital dislocation of the hip.
A few years later my father took us to meet Musali aged 3. We met him and his parents on the same beach where my father first encountered him . It was a windy day I remember! It was also rather poignant as my daughter has previous correctional surgery for club feet and having her meet Musali was rather special. He was able to walk for us but did need some assistance.
The most recent picture of Musali with his father and my father too (November 2024). Needless to say I am so proud of my father’s kindness - I know he gets a lot of pleasure out of helping other people.
Lisa is simply incredible and has been very passionate about promoting organ donation to as many people as possible She is an ambassador for NHSBT and overdelivers in the work she does. She has had the incredible opportunity to meet two of the recipients and has formed a unique bond with them both.
Fatima with Lisa
She has also met the recipient of Tom’s heart and having discovered that he was a West Ham United fan as was Tom… this incredible picture was taken of Lisa listening to Tom’s heart at the London Stadium (West Ham’s home ground)
Lisa used to be a PE teacher and has been an active volunteer of the transplant games where recipients of transplants celebrate their new lease of life by competing in sports contests. Here is a picture of Tom’s heart recipient after he received a medal for ping pong. What is even more interesting though is that this took place in the very hall that Tom originally signed on the organ donor register.
Lisa is simply a wonderful person and does so much amazing work promoting organ donation and has set up a Tom Wilson memorial fund
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/
Remember whatever your decision is to tell your loved ones about it
Sam was a primary school teacher and Luke is a scientist who was studying for his PhD.
They kept the list of daily drugs on a board in the kitchen and Luke was involved with being her carer whilst studying for a PhD.
Eventually Sam’s health deteriorated so much that she was listed for a lung transplant. However there is a shortage of organ donors which means that people unfortunately die on the transplant waiting list.
In the UK this has unfortunately not changed significantly over the last 10 years.
Sam was called in on a few occasions to have a transplant but unfortunately the donor organs were not suitable. Sadly her health deteriorated and she died. Since her death Luke has been very active in promoting organ donation awareness and he has talked in schools and universities and featured on television. I have had the privilege of presenting on the same stage with him on many occasions and am struck by his kindness and genuine empathy for people waiting on the transplant waiting list for a precious organ. He is passionate about promoting organ donation and really wants people with organ failure to benefit from life saving transplants. He has also been involved with a series of animated characters called the orgamites to promote awareness among young children to get them to become more comfortable talking about the subject.
TV link..Luke appeared on TV to promote the orgamites
https://orgamites.com/orgamites-on-the-bbc/
Site to post how readers are getting on.
To sign on the organ donor register please follow the link:
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/
Remember whatever your decision to tell your loved ones about it!
