Original Summary

Family handout / The family first met in 2020 and have continued to meet up over the years The family of a teenage organ donor say it has been a "true honour" to watch the little boy who received her liver thrive 10 years on. Miriam Lee, 17, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, died from sudden cardiac arrest in 2016. Her liver was given to 11-month-old Ollie Jolliff, from Poole, Dorset, who urgently needed a transplant due to a genetic condition. Ollie's brother Kieran died from the same condition at the age of four. Their mother Hannah said they received word of a possible donor for Ollie on what would have been Kieran's 10th birthday. Miriam's parents, Nicola and David, said: "It has been a true honour to see Ollie grow up. It's helped us with our grief, that something positive has come out of something awful." Their story comes as health officials urge the public to sign the NHS Organ Donor Register amid a decline in donations. Family consent rates have fallen from 67% in 2020/21 to 57% last year, according to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). Handout / Miriam died after a sudden cardiac arrest at the age of 17. She had signed the organ donor register before her death Miriam's parents said their daughter's death had come "completely out of the blue" but they knew they had to honour her wishes of being an organ donor. "She was a very caring person," Nicola said. "Miriam had registered on the Organ Donor Register when she was registering to give blood and as a part of the process, she had also told us her wishes. So, we knew we had to honour them." The teenager donated her kidneys, liver, pancreas, eyes and tissue, saving the lives of four people and giving sight to two more, her family said. "She wanted to offer everything she could and positively impact as many lives as possible," Nicola added. "When we heard from Hannah and Mike and learned that Miriam's liver had gone to tiny Ollie, it was such an emotional moment. "It has been a true honour to see Ollie grow up." He was "living because of Miriam", she said. Kettering General Hospital / Miriam's "selfless decision" saved Ollie's life, his family said Ollie's mother Hannah said that a transplant had not been an option for his brother Kieran and he had spent most of his young life in hospital. Ollie was tested at birth and diagnosed with a metabolic condition which caused toxic amounts of ammonia in his blood. He was given medication while he waited for a new liver. "It's 10 years this year since Ollie received his transplant and he's doing so well – he's going into his last year of primary school, he's got passions and interests and he's living his life like any other 10-year-old boy," Hannah said. "We feel incredibly lucky. "Ollie knows he's got a special liver, and he knows that Miriam is the special girl who gave it to him. We're so aware of how different things could have been had Miriam and her family not made the decision to donate. "It was a difficult and completely selfless decision, and we are so grateful to them." She also urged people to consider what their decision would be and to confirm it on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Handout / The two families have met several times since Ollie's transplant 10 years ago There are currently 8,700 people waiting for an organ transplant, according to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). However, it added that fewer families had consented for their loved ones' organs to be donated, and there had been a reduction in the number of eligible donors. Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHSBT, said: "We are facing one of the most challenging periods for organ donation in over a decade. "The sharp decline in donors and the rising number of people waiting for a transplant need urgent action." Do you have a story suggestion for Northamptonshire? Contact us below. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds , Facebook , Instagram and X .

  • 情报分类：商业与市场研究
  • 分类依据：内容涉及商业、投资或市场动态
  • 信息来源：英语新闻 / BBC News Top Stories
  • 发布时间：2026/9/22 18:42:28