A READING film-maker has created a documentary which examines the impact that organ donation has on people’s lives, as Organ Donation Week begins.
The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II meant that Organ Donation week 2022, originally slated for September 19-25, is instead being held from Monday, September 26, until, Sunday, October 2.
Luke Alexander, aged 22, was born with a rare, congenital liver disease called Biliary Atresia, which causes blockages in the bile ducts between the liver and gallbladder.
This can lead to cirrhosis, or damage, of the liver, which is fatal if not treated and often requires a transplant during treatment.
After being helped by Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, Luke has now produced a documentary looking at the effect of organ donation on people’s lives.
He said: “I was diagnosed when I was three weeks old, and as a kid, before the age of one, I think was three operations in total.
“They postponed my need for a transplant until I was about 12, when I received a liver transplant – in total, I waited nine months, with only one false call.”
He explained that those waiting for organs to be donated are sometimes called for operations, but which for some reason are then no longer viable.
“You get sent to the hospital and then during the procedure of receiving the organ, or from the donor to getting it over to the hospital, it may get tainted, or perhaps the surgeon doesn’t think it’s healthy enough.”
His documentary, The Other Side, doesn’t just look at patients themselves, he said, but also: “the shared experience of going through that.
“I compete at the Transplant Games, which really helps keep transplant patients active after surgery, and to help raise awareness of the amazing work organ donation does.
“It was a really good experience for myself to meet other people and make friends my age who had transplants and been through the same experience.
“But it was really good for my parents, because they could speak to other parents who had shared their experiences, too.”
He said that it was this which sparked his interest in exploring the parents’ perspective of the transplant journey, not just from that of the kids.
The documentary focuses on three families who have experienced organ donation, those of Ollie, Amelia, and Leighton, who all underwent organ transplants.
“The documentary explores how they’ve dealt with it, and to give them and some families who are about to go through that same journey, that kind of cathartic experience.
“I was quite young at the time, so I didn’t ask too many questions but looking back it would have been a major help just to know that it’s something that’s experienced differently – there’s no right or wrong way.
“It is kind of rare the process you go through, but it’s not that rare, and there are other families around us that have gone through that journey, and I wish there was more material like this available.”
He says that when making the film, the resilience of the families struck him.
“So many feel that after a diagnosis, it’s ‘that’s happened, now what are our next steps’ and look for an action plan towards it.
“That’s one of the things that really impressed me.”
Organ Donation Week begins on Monday, September 26, which works to build awareness of the difference to people’s lives being an organ donor can make.
This year, the movement is asking people to use the colour pink to show their support, as well as to publicise and celebrate organ donation.
It is also holding a Race for Recipients, where participants can remotely contribute to a team target of 7,000 km, which represents the 7,000 people waiting for life-saving transplants in the UK.
A regional total target of 50,000km has been set to represent the 50,000 people living in the UK with a transplant.
The race is free to join, does not require a team, and can be achieved through any number of travelling activities.
The Other Side was directed by Luke Alexander and scored by Lost OR Stolen, with Callum Wood as director of photography, and produced in collaboration with the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.
It is available to watch on YouTube.
Organ Donation Week takes place from Monday, September 26, to Sunday, October 2.
To find out more, or to see how you can register as an organ donor, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk
