'Dad was my hero, in life and in death'
Katie Ford, 33, is a veterinary surgeon and coach, and lives in Manchester with her boyfriend, Simon, 38. Her dad, Jay, 58, donated his kidneys after passing away in November 2021.
My dad, Jay, was a builder and a proud He was Yorkshireman. He was so encouraging of anything I did and was my biggest supporter, and the most kind and caring man.
Dad had low-grade chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but he was under the care of a doctor and it never stopped him working.
I was at a two-day conference in London when my mum, Helen, called. She usually phoned me about their dogs, but this time, her words threw me. 'It's your dad. He's really struggling with his breathing and he's gone to A&E. But Mum didn't seem too worried or want me to come home. I thought they would give him a couple of injections and he'd be on the phone to me himself in the morning.
Overnight, he was put on a ventilator. It all happened so suddenly he'd only been at work a couple of days before.
We were able to visit him in the hospital, which I am incredibly grateful for. The doctors tried to stop his ventilator, but he couldn't breathe on his own and we were given the prognosis he was unlikely to recover.
When they tried to stop the ventilator again, it didn't go as planned and we had to have a conversation about switching it off, which is when we were asked about organ donation.
With another family member trying to get on the recipient list, Dad was a real advocate for the process, so when the question of whether he'd want to be a donor came up, we knew the answer immediately.
This story is from the September 27, 2022 edition of WOMAN'S WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 27, 2022 edition of WOMAN'S WEEKLY.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Your wellbeing
LATEST HEALTH SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR MIND AND BODY
Here to help
LET COUNSELLOR KEREN LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD
Clematis FOREVER
These adorable climbers offer months of colour
Quick cushion
Make sewing simple with this speedy appliqué project
Ahidden HEAVEN
Discover a new side to Cornwall on a visit to the quiet south coast peninsula of Roseland
Bright IDEAS
From floor lamps to ceiling pendants, we've found the best solutions to lighten every corner
Heard of EARTH DAY?
We find out how this annual event is trying to help our planet
BETTER SLEEP...in a week!
Waking in the night or trouble nodding off? Here's how to improve your slumber in just seven days
National treasures
The UK is getting a new national park, which will be chosen soon from a number of options. Here are some of the gems we have already
'My dream role would be winning the lottery!'
Actor Larry Lamb on his lucky career, reality show stints and what he does to stay healthy