Organ donation video transcript

Summer and Ella, two teenagers who have received organ donations at GOSH, discuss their transplants and the effect that it has had on their lives.This film also features teens discussing some of the key issues around organ donation and some of the questions and concerns that people their age may have about registering their decision.

Watch the video here, or view it on YouTube. The transcript is below.

Summer, Kidney transplant recipient, aged 14: 

“I was born with dysfunctional kidneys, and immediately I was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital. I was on dialysis for four years, by the end of it I was really ill.

“I had a kidney transplant from a donor. It went so amazingly that I could eat for the first time, I did everyday normal things that I couldn’t do before, like go to school, be a normal five year old girl again.

“At the age of ten my kidneys slowly started to fail. And I had another kidney transplant, and it changed my life, again.

“I have had so much more energy. Just being able to do so much more with myself and my life. Having different hobbies that I’ve never had before, such as doing make-up, trying on clothes, you know these are things that I’m very grateful for.

“I think organ donations are important because you’re saving someone’s life; but you’re not only saving their life, but you’re letting them have a normal life again.”

Teen group discussing organ donation: 

Hannah: “If you needed one you’d automatically take it. Why wouldn’t you give one to someone who actually needed one.”

Jake: “You don’t have a need for your organs anymore, once you pass away, so it’s important to allow other people to have a second chance.”

Becca: “Some people don’t want to donate organs because they have a thought that they don’t know who the organs are going to.”

Ben: “Or they look at other people and see that other people don’t really want to donate organs and they’re kind of thrown off by that.”

Luke: “Perhaps they feel that their organs aren’t good enough. Perhaps a smoker might feel that his lungs aren’t good enough.”

Hannah: “It’s your choice. You shouldn’t necessarily do what friends or family members think you should do. It’s up to you.”

Jake: “I think anybody who wants to sign up to the organ donor register, it’s definitely a good thing to do. It’s quick and easy.”

Ben: “It’s a two minute thing on line. You can apply while doing other things, like a driving licence, or something else.”

Becca: “You won’t have to remind yourself about it later on in life.”

Hannah: “Go for it. Because you’ve only got one life, you might as well help as many people as you can in that life.”

Ben: “If there’s somebody out there who desperately needs it and could live, if you help them, it’s just kind of a no brainer.”

Ella, heart transplant recipient, aged 17: 

“I was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy when I was three months old. And I stayed in Great Ormond Street for about a month at that time. About April 2011 when I went for a check up my heart wasn’t looking as good as it had before. Because it was so weak my lungs were starting to struggle as well.

“Then I went back six months later for a cardiac catheter to see how bad my heart and my lungs were, so I ended up on intensive care because my heart was just so weak. I got told I needed a heart transplant, because that was the only option left.

“The transplant changed my life. It gave me a lot more independence and allowed me to do more things with my friends and my sister like going shopping and going to concerts and things like that because I could never do that sort of thing before.

“The best thing about mum is that she is just so supportive and really helped me through the transplant. I don’t think I would have done it without her because she was just like there all the time.

“I think it is important for younger people to know about organ donation because it really does make a big difference to not just the recipient’s life but their family as well.

“I can understand why people wouldn’t want to and it is a personal decision, but I think if you saw the benefits of it then you wouldn’t hesitate because it is a really good thing to do. “

Luke: “Donating an organ is a precious gift…”

Summer: “…That can change lives for the better”

Ben: “Donating an organ is a precious gift…”

Becca: “…Talk to your family so they know how you feel”