Mum who honoured son’s organ donation wish urges others to have open conversations with their family about becoming a donor

A mum whose son helped to save or transform the lives of at least four people after he died, is urging others to have open conversations with their families about organ donation.

Following his death, James Decker’s kidneys were donated to two patients and his liver was split between an adult and a baby. Many other people also benefitted from the donation of his eyes, skin, and bones.

James was just 27 years old when, in June 2024, he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed while tending to the wildlife pond he had built in the garden of the family home in Strood. Due to the heroic efforts of his brother’s girlfriend and the emergency services, he was placed on life support at Medway Maritime Hospital. Five days later, James was sadly pronounced dead.

His parents, Angela and Tim, made the decision to honour their youngest son’s wish to be a donor, something he had expressed during a family discussion the year before, following a compassionate conversation with the hospital’s Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation, Katy Collins.

Angela said: “James was kind, creative, and full of life. He was the favourite uncle to his six nieces and nephews, who he lovingly called his ‘niblings’. He had a passion for skateboarding, music, cooking, wildlife, and Rubik’s cubes. He helped to build a pizza oven in the garden and was the best in the family at making pizzas in it. He enjoyed baking and we all enjoyed his Babka cakes. He made two wildlife ponds to attract frogs and hedgehogs and he loved filming the garden’s visitors and sharing their antics with us.

“We are absolutely heartbroken to lose James but knowing that while we were saying goodbye to him, others were receiving life-changing phone calls helped bring us comfort. We even received a letter from one of the recipients, which meant the world to us.

“Throughout the organ donation process we were deeply grateful for the care and compassion shown by Katy and the rest of the hospital staff.”

Due to a change in the law around organ donation back in 2020, it is now assumed that when someone dies in the circumstances where they could be a donor, that they agree to donate if they haven’t officially opted out. However, no-one is automatically added to the Organ Donor Register. People still need to confirm their decision and their family will be consulted before donation goes ahead.

“Please think about it. Talk to your loved ones. Register your wishes. You never know whose life you might save,” Angela added.

Katy, who remains in contact with the Decker family, said: “Angela’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have, and the importance of making your wishes known.”

Thanks to the generosity of nine donors and their families, 27 patients were able to receive life-saving transplants facilitated by Medway Maritime Hospital between 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. In the same period, 20 corneas were donated by patients to NHS Blood and Transplant’s (NHSBT’s) eye banks.

According to NHSBT, 44 per cent of the south east population have registered an NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) opt in decision, compared to 42 per cent of the population nationally.

Pink is the colour of NHS Blood and Transplant’s ‘Yes I Donate’ organ donation campaign, which aims to encourage people to confirm their organ donation decision by adding their name to the NHS Organ Donor Register. To help raise awareness, and to mark Organ Donation Week (Monday 22 to Sunday 28 September), Medway Maritime Hospital’s clock tower will be lit-up pink all week. The spire of Rochester Cathedral will also be illuminated in the same colour on Wednesday 24 September.

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