The gift of life

Victoria Webb, 39, was on her way to Lewisham on January 21, 2005, to volunteer to help with the relief work out in Thailand following the tsunami which had occurred on Boxing Day, 2004.

But Victoria, who had always been fit and healthy, collapsed following a massive brain haemorrhage and was rushed to Lewisham University Hospital.

Her parents, Angela and Robert Fisher, of Langbury Lane, Ferring, her brothers and partner of five years rushed to be by her side.

But there was no more doctors could do.

Victoria, of south London, had always expressed her support for organ donation and was on the official register, just like her family.

Her kidneys, liver and skin went on to save the lives of at least three people, and her mother now hopes to help dispel the myths surrounding organ donation.

Gift of life

Mrs Fisher, 64, said: "There are so many myths surrounding organ donation, about how awful it is for the family left behind to do it, but the greatest thing you can give any person is the gift of life.

"Losing Victoria was the worst thing that could happen, nothing is worse than losing a child, so for us to be able to donate her organs like she wanted was a compassionate thing we could do.

"This whole issue is not about anything else, like religion, it is all about having compassion."

Mrs Fisher and her family approached doctors while Victoria was in hospital to say they wished to donate her organs.

Doctors found it wonderful the family had approached them.

Mrs Fisher said: "The transplant co-ordinator writes to us often to give us updates on the recipients of Victoria's organs, which makes us feel so proud to think that people are living because of Victoria.

"A 24-year-old girl, who had hours to live, received her liver and is back to work full-time.

"A man and a woman received a kidney each and they are both now back working full time as well."

Mrs Fisher supports Gordon Brown's plans to make organ donation compulsory, with people having to opt "out" of the scheme instead of "in".

At Victoria's funeral, people were asked to put their name on the organ donor register.

Fact File

In the Worthing area, there are currently 26 people waiting for a transplant '“ 21 people in need of a kidney, three needing a kidney/pancreas and two people needing new hearts.

In 2007/08, in the Worthing area, there were 12 transplants, including cornea transplants, carried out. The figures for previous years were: 2003/04, 18; 2004/05, 18; 2005/06, 18; 2006/07, 17.

On January 30, 2008, there were 55,883 people living in the Worthing postcode area who were on the UK Organ Donor Register.

Nationally, there are 14.9million people on the register, which is 24 per cent of the population. But many people who carry donor cards have not yet converted onto the register. The key message is to sign the register and let family know.

From just one person's donation, as many as eight people can benefit from organ transplants and possibly as many as 30 people may benefit from tissue donation, particularly bone.

Nationally, there are 7,000 people waiting for a transplant. This figure rises steeply every year.

Check out www.uktransplant.org.uk for details on how to register.

Click here to read how Scott Fletcher's mother takes comfort in giving life to others.