Organ donors needed to give patients with diabetes a second chance at life

NHS Blood and Transplant is calling on more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR), this World Diabetes Day (Friday 14 November).

4.3 million people in the UK are currently living with diabetes - a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high due to the body not producing enough insulin or the insulin it produces isn't effective.

Over time this can damage a person’s kidneys and pancreas and eventually, the only treatment is a kidney, pancreas or simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant (SPK). (1)

In 2024/25 in the UK, 142 patients needed a transplant of some kind due to complications from diabetes and the majority of these (134 or 94%) had type 1 diabetes. (2)

Jess Harris' story

36-year-old Londoner Jess Harris, has achieved milestones in her life that she never thought possible, thanks to the generosity of her organ donor and their family.

Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was just 12 years-old, Jess faced years of health challenges, including gruelling dialysis sessions, and getting salmonella which eventually caused her kidneys to fail. At her lowest point, Jess's medical teams were fearing that she was too unwell to survive a transplant operation if the call came. But in 2018, she received a life-saving double kidney and pancreas transplant from a deceased donor, and everything changed.

"I am alive today because of a man and his generosity, selflessness and desire to save a stranger." says Jess, "this man is someone I never met, will never get to meet, yet I only have my life because of him. He gave me my life back when he wasn't in a position to live his own."

Jess recovered from the 9-hour long operation and 6 years later - against all odds - gave birth to her "miracle" baby boy – something she always wished for but never thought possible.

She says, "Ezra, our miracle boy, is now 20 months and what a couple of years it's been. I am healthy, present and able to enjoy all the chaos toddler life throws at me.

"A transplant doesn't just save the individual, it saves families, and in my case, enabled us to extend our family in the best way possible. Transplant life is a full-time commitment with staying healthy, active and attending regular hospital appointments, but it's so totally worth it. My life is so full and beautiful now- it just keeps getting better and better and this is the gift of organ donation."

Jess and her husband, Jacob, have had quite a year with getting married in August and now expecting a wonderful second miracle, a baby girl.

Sarah Jane Robinson's story

Sarah Jane Robinson, 43, from Liverpool, also received a double kidney and pancreas transplant in 2017 which she needed due to Type 1 diabetes. After feeling unwell in 2013, it was found that she had only 18% kidney function and was told she would need a transplant.

Sarah says: "It was life changing. I was just a normal person getting on with life. When I was first told I was ill I thought it was a mistake. I thought they would come back and say, 'it's just an infection, we made a mistake.’”

She was listed for a simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant at Manchester Royal Infirmary in September 2015. Prior to this she had been receiving peritoneal dialysis at home, 4 times a day, 7 days a week for 2 years. During this time, she feared possible infections and the prospect of her life revolving around the treatment.

Sarah says:

"I am a bit of a worrier, and the prospect of a transplant scared the life out of me, it's terrifying. I was terrified that I was going to die under the anaesthetic and would never have the chance to see my children again.”

Sarah's diabetes had caused other health problems, including declining eyesight.

She lives with her daughters and says: "It's heart breaking because before I was ill I was working as a medical secretary, I brought up my two daughters on my own.

I don't know how I would have coped if they were not here. We are very close, but it's brought us even closer together and we don't take each other for granted.”

Sarah's daughters Kayleigh and Aimee, who were only 18 and 20 at the time of Sarah’s diagnosis, both have Type 1 diabetes too. Diagnosed when they were just 2 years old and 10 months old, respectively, have issues with their eyesight due to Type 1 but thankfully their kidneys have, so far, not been affected.

In 2017 Sarah received the call that changed her life. It was the third call Sarah had received as unfortunately the previous 2 times the transplants could not go ahead.

"All I could think of as I lay there waiting to go to theatre was my girls. I loved them more than anyone or anything in this world, I had to get through this for them, I must wake up and I must be brave but then my thoughts suddenly turned to the fact that there was a family somewhere immersed in a deep grief at the loss of their loved one and I can tell you I have never felt so guilty and so selfish in all my life, wanting to live yet a life had been lost. Every intricate detail and thought of that surreal day will stay with me forever!”

Sarah continues: "Nearly 11 hours later I looked through a very blurry, drug induced eye and could just make out Aimee’s face, I kept repeating 'I'm alive Aimee, I'm alive Aimee.' 'Yes, you’re alive mum, you’re talking to me, and it all went well!' I knew I wasn’t dreaming this and in that moment it was like I'd been surrounded by a warmth, this weight I had carried had been lifted and someone or something had taken away years of illness."

Sarah was very poorly after her transplant but after twelve days in intensive care she was moved to the transplant unit and 10 days after that she was discharged home.

Sarah says: "I began my new journey, my new life with a kidney that worked and a pancreas that produced insulin.

"Over the past 8 years my transplant has enabled me to go on little holidays, go to concerts with my girls and I’m now an Organ Donation Ambassador for NHS Blood and Transplant, which I am extremely honoured and proud to be able to do.”

Sarah Jane as an Organ Donation Ambassador Sarah Jane Robinson

Sarah speaks about her donor: "There are not enough words on this earth to describe just how grateful I am to my beautiful precious donor and her family. Their selfless, compassionate and loving deed has not just saved my life, but it has given 2 young women their life and mum back too, for which we will be eternally grateful for."

Currently, almost 370 people with diabetes are waiting for a transplant across the UK – an increase of 3% on those waiting this time last year. (3)

A functioning pancreas transplant means that people with diabetes will no longer need insulin injections to manage their condition, but it does not cure diabetes. It is expected to slow down the damaging effects of diabetes on eyes, nerves, and blood vessels.

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How you can help

To find out more, and confirm your support for organ donation, visit our website, call 0300 123 23 23 or use the NHS app.