‘Every Breath You Take…’

There are two topics of conversation that have dominated my start-of-Epiphany-term-chat. The first is about how ‘I can’t be bothered to walk all the way to the library from the viaduct’. But it’s dissertation term. So I should. I definitely should.

The second is about how ‘I can’t be bothered to go to Freeman’s and endure the treadmill-inflicted pain that awaits me’. But it’s January. I ate six separate Christmas dinners over the holidays. So I should. I definitely should.

These conversations make me realise two things. Firstly, I have terrible chat. But I’m a third year, and until finals are over that’s an acceptable excuse. More importantly I’ve realised that I take for granted the fact that I can walk to and from lectures everyday. And when I get sweaty, breathless, and tired (at the gym, that is) it is through choice.

Last term my housemates and I watched an episode of ITV’s ‘Tonight’ programme called ‘Waiting for a Heart’. It documented the story of Will Pope, a 20-year-old family friend of mine who had been in desperate need of a heart transplant. I had been aware that he was ill, but I had no idea quite how serious the situation was.

Aged 16 Will contracted a virus. That virus led to heart problems. Those heart problems led to end-stage heart failure. And due to an extreme shortage of organ donors – especially young donors – Will has spent everyday since August 28th 2012 in hospital. Waiting for a heart. Waiting while his health rapidly deteriorated, and he was kept alive by a machine.

On New Year’s Eve the Pope family got the news they have been waiting for since Will fell ill four years ago. A donor heart was available. Will’s mum has been writing a blog to keep friends and relatives updated. She described how, upon hearing the news, they couldn’t sleep “thinking about the donor family and of what they must be going through and of what was to come.” Will’s operation took over twelve hours. He has been in intensive care since. He cannot speak, eat, drink, or breathe without support.

It’s one thing to resent the breathlessness resulting from my token attempts to join the Durham gym elite. It is something else entirely to fathom having to cope with being breathless and immobile for months on end. Will’s Mum writes how, due to his illness, he “has lost two years and nearly a great deal more. He has been through many operations. Had he been able to have a transplant when he first needed one it would have been much easier.”

No matter how many summatives you have to write this term (or if you’re in first year, how many self-inflicted hangover days you spend moping around in college) definitely make sure that you’re registered with the organ donor list.
96% of people believe that donating organs is the right thing to do.
30% of people have joined the organ donor register.
If you are part of the 70% that hasn’t joined, what are you waiting for? The link is at the bottom of this article. It takes one minute. Of all the struggles and tasks that need to be completed this term, this is surely one of the easiest. It is undoubtedly the most important.

http://willpope.co.uk/

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.asp?campaign=2222

http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv=9oA31xYbJVk