Author Archives: Ed Goncalves

Ed Goncalves

Opinion: Why we need to overhaul the organ donor system

By Ed Goncalves | Thu 9th July 2015 - 10:16 am

In a couple of weeks time, my 11 year old son and I will be competing in the UK Transplant Games for the very first time. As my friends among LDV readers will know, my son is a remarkable boy in many respects. Some say he is a ‘chip off the old block’. I rather think he’s in a league of his own.

His story is dramatic, yet sadly not unique. Three years ago, around his 8th birthday, he was suddenly diagnosed with kidney failure. It was the second time in that he faced a battle for life. As a baby, he and his twin brother were extremely ill with severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. They are one of only a small number of twins to have both survived this condition.

Most of the following year was spent in Great Ormond Street Hospital, including birthdays and Christmas. He suffered multiple major infections, complications and assorted emergencies, and underwent 10 operations in as many months. An attempted transplant was aborted at the last minute due to liver problems.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 22 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Neil Sandison
    The problem we have is not promoting consistent messaging .At our recent conference the stage had a clear emphasis on Liberty , Equality and Community . I have ...
  • David Allen
    @David Raw - You're right of course, the Lib Dems currently are going nowhere. What is worrying is that there is much wailing and lamentation, but fewer cohere...
  • Alex Macfie
    @Jeff: Don't be distracted by the performative opposition to teen social media bans from Big Tech. "How dare governments track people online? That's OUR job!" M...
  • Peter Wrigley
    To my mind our mail purpose is the preservation, promotion and improvement of liberal democracy, and no one on this post has mentioned it yet. Given that it i...
  • David Raw
    @ David Allen "Another, 'why are we going nowhere' lament.". Are you saying that's not the case, David, when plainly it is ? How to remedy this without new...