22 September 2025
A mum who nearly died after a rare pregnancy complication is calling on Islanders to become organ donors after a transplant saved her life.
To mark Organ Donation Week (22-28 Sept), Louise Double and Health and Care Jersey nurse Sam North are urging Islanders to speak to their family members about their wishes regarding organ donation. And to help raise awareness throughout the week, Fort Regent and Elizabeth Castle will be lit in pink – the colour of an organ donor card – in memory of the 400 people who died in the British Isles last year awaiting a transplant.
Louise needed a liver transplant in June 2018 after developing HELLP syndrome, a rare life-threatening pregnancy complication, which occurred during childbirth.
“I was airlifted to the UK and placed on the super urgent transplant list after they determined my liver was completely destroyed and transplantation was my only chance of survival,” said Louise who lives in St Lawrence with her partner, daughter and two stepsons.
“For most people, a transplant is life-changing in a positive way straight away. Many people live in pain and can be disabled by their organ failure for many years prior to their surgery, waiting on lists for the phone call. Some people die on that list, never getting the chance due to a shortage.
“My experience was a little different. It was a sudden and very desperate need to save my life. I was healthy before and during my pregnancy, and I had a big life adjustment after my transplant. Physically and mentally, I had a lot to overcome, and it took many years.”
The 38-year-old dentist says that her transplant has given her a “clarity” she never had before. “It gave me a clear purpose in life, made me value it more, and has made me prioritise my family time,” she said. “I wish to share as many adventures with them as I can. Life is fragile.”
Following her transplant, Louise wrote to her donor’s family.
“It was very hard to write that letter, and it took me over two years to find the right words,” she said. “They lost a family member and made the difficult decision to donate their organs, so it is a very sensitive matter. I did send the family a letter letting them know the impact their son had on my family. Their reply is displayed in my house as a reminder of what their son did for me. Going on and living a full and grateful life, I feel, is the best way I can honour the family.”
Currently, there are more than 8,000 people waiting for a transplant in the British Isles, and the list is the highest it has ever been. In July 2019, the "opt out" organ donor law came into effect in Jersey. This means that all adults in Jersey are considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have “opted out” on the register. However, family members are always consulted, which means it’s vital to ask your loved one about their wishes.
Sam North, a Senior Nurse for HCJ, said: “Organ donation week 2025 aims to highlight the ongoing importance of organ donors and the awe-inspiring impact a transplant can have on someone’s life. During Organ Donation Week please take the opportunity to discuss what you would like if you were ever in the situation where donation is a possibility. Having meaningful conversations with family about your choices is important as it makes the decision making as simple as it can be, if, and when, the time comes.”
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