Rotorua heart transplant recipient Wiremu Keepa encourages donors

Wiremu Keepa has a long list of pros to organ donation.

The Rotorua man had a heart transplant 15 years ago and rattles off what he has achieved since then.

"I've studied and graduated. I've had the opportunity to see my grandchildren, my mokopuna, grow up, and see my sons grow. I've made a positive contribution to my marae and iwi," Keepa said.

"If I didn't have this transplant I wouldn't be here."

Keepa had a degenerative heart condition before his transplant in 2003. He had been on the waitlist for a new heart for four years when he got the call.

Now, Keepa wants to encourage people to become organ donors.

"I know there are cultural aspects with regards to Maori and I appreciate that, but I think we've got to have a really hard look. A lot of people are in demand for organs but there are not enough to go around," he said.

"Your organs are of far better use down here."

Earlier this month, Rotorua's Margi Inskeep died aged 29, nine years after she received a heart transplant.

Born with congenital heart disease and diagnosed at 6 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, she suffered heart failure at 19.

Margi Inskeep was born with congenital heart disease. She suffered heart failure at 19, and at 21 she received a heart transplant.

The number of organ donations in New Zealand has doubled in the past five years.

Organ Donation New Zealand had 73 organ donors in 2017, up from 36 in 2013.

Those 73 donors helped 215 recipients with heart, lung, liver, kidney or pancreas transplants, the organisation said.

Organ Donation New Zealand medical specialist James Judson said the increase could be attributed to the fact health professionals were having more conversations with families and identifying more opportunities for donation.

Less than 1 per cent of New Zealanders die in a way which allows them to be organ donors as donation is only possible when a person is in an intensive care unit on a ventilator.

This is because of the short time-frame required between the removal of the organs and the time they need to be transplanted.

Judson said, where organ donation was not possible, tissues such as eyes, skin and heart valves can be donated.

In 2017, there were 61 tissue donations from people who died in a hospital ward, hospice or at home.

Judson said all donations stemmed from human tragedy and would not be possible without the generosity of the donors' families.

Rotorua Hospital nurse Andrea Colby communicates with Organ Donation New Zealand when a donation is occurring.

She said donating organs was a big decision for the families of critically ill patients, but had a positive effect.

"It's such a sad time but it's a great thing to be able to offer something to people when they are just at such a loss," Colby said.

"It's so amazing to pass their organs on to help someone else, it's giving the gift of life."

Colby said the families of donors often feel a sense of hope that something good had come from a tragic situation.

Despite the increase in donors, there are roughly 500 people waiting for transplants at any one time.

Organ Donation NZ encouraged Kiwis to talk about donation with their families and make their wishes clear as if the situation arose, health professionals will ask the family for their agreement to donate organs or tissue.

ABOUT DONATING:
One donor can save the lives of up to 10 people.
Less than 1 per cent of Kiwis die in a way that allows them to donate.
There are on average about 500 people waiting for organ transplants at one time.
The longest waitlist is three years, for kidneys. Other organs take six to nine months.
In 2017 ODNZ facilitated 61 tissue donations and received 73 organ donations.
People of all ages can be considered for organ and tissue donation.
- Organ donation New Zealand