Organ donations give the terminally ill hope

Lester Kiewit spoke to guests who’s loved ones have received organ donations. They’ve discussed both the highs and lows that they experienced.

Organ donations can save lives, and improve the lives of millions of people – whose organs have stopped functioning properly.

The gift also has an indelible impact on the loved ones of both the organ donor and the person receiving the organ.

Angela Te Roller’s husband is one of the people whose lives was saved by organ donation. Angela says her husband had a heart attack in 2019, and he subsequently suffered greatly.

This not only had an impact on him, but also on his daughters, who watched their father begin to wither away for over two years. He went from the strong, independent man they grew up knowing, to a man growing weaker by the day.

In the beginning of August 2022, Angela’s husband was readmitted to hospital for another round of treatments for his failing heart. But she says nothing was working.

Things looked grim for her husband, with Angela fearfully wondering if he would survive. In a stroke of luck, a week later the Te Roller family received a phone call from a hospital, notifying them that they had found a matching heart for him.

The phone call not only changed their lives but has saved a life.

We actually walked him right into pre-surgery and it was an entire day of preparation. The anesthetist came and explained his role in the procedure. The nurses were phenomenal in just making it an experience that took away the terror and replaced it with what it actually was: an absolute miracle.

Angela Te Roller

However, not every donation has such a happy ending.

Etienne and Diana Folscher’s family member, Benjamin Folscher, had a long history of heart problems. Eventually, he suffered heart failure.

He was born with a heart defect and underwent multiple surgeries throughout his life. In 2019, Benjamin was diagnosed with heart failure and was in dire need of a heart transplant.

Like Angela’s husband, Benjamin waited three years before the Folscher family got a call, saying they had a matching heart. This left the family in euphoric disbelief.

They proceeded to take Benjamin to the hospital where he underwent a heart transplant. The procedure was a success.

However, by then his body had already developed a circulatory system to aid it to boost his oxygen levels, after his heart failure. As a result of this, Benjamin’s body rejected the heart after his collaterals system kicked in, and drained all the healthy blood from his heart.

Though Benjamin did not survived long enough to enjoy his new heart, Etienne says he achieved his goal.

In his mind he was getting a new heart. Friday the operation happened [and] Friday evening, he had his new heart – it was functioning. So, he got his goal. He got the thing that was keeping him alive for the last three years. That end goal was what he was living for… he didn’t get to live it but he got his goal.

Etienne Folscher

Diana says that organ donation is important because it gives the terminally ill something that allows them to hold onto, even when things look grim.

Organ donation, to me, means hope, that’s the bottom line for me. It provides those people who are ill, as with any terminally ill patient, anything that provides hope makes living worth it.

Diana Folscher

The Folscher family have started a foundation in Benjamin’s honour called the Benjamin Foundation. They’re helping families, in whatever capacity they can, to cover the extra costs that come with organ transplant surgeries. The foundation also provides them with emotional support throughout the process.

If I, in my capacity, in any way or form, am able to mobilise things that can make it easier on patients and their families going through this kind of thing, then that’s what I would like to do. Benjamin was very ill for a number of years and took a huge amount of my time as I cared for him, and I have that time and I can utilise it, now, to help others.

Diana Folscher

Only 0.2% of South Africans are registered organ donators.

That actually translates to only 1.4 donors per million people, which is absolutely insane… [Donating your organs] saves seven people’s lives and can improve up to more than 65 other people’s lives with tissue, bone, etc..

Angela Te Roller

Find out more about organ donation here.

Scroll up for the full interview.

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : Organ donations give the terminally ill hope