Jim Macbeth of Lugarno has many wonderful memories of his late wife Marlene, but one that stands out is the legacy she leaves.
Marlene, 68, died of lung cancer in October 2014, shortly after the couple’s 50th wedding anniversary.
She left behind a special gift for two strangers – her eyes.
October 13 marks World Sight Day, which aims to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation.
Mr Macbeth is an advocate of donation, having discussed the option with his wife after her diagnosis.
“She always said she would be keen to do that sort of thing because she was always caring for other people,” he said.
“The fact that we talked about it made it easier.
“It’s a hard conversation to have but it’s important to let your family know your wishes.”
Mrs Macbeth was unable to donate other parts of her body due to medical treatment she had received during her illness, but Mr Macbeth said he was surprised his wife could help two people.
“I wondered whether she could donate because she had also worn glasses since she was age 9,” he said.
“But I got a letter from the [recipient] families – a lady, 67, got one eye, and a man in his 70s got the other.
“I feel sorry for the man because there’s no way he’s going to pass a shoe shop without going in – my wife loved her shoes.”
“I think she would have been disappointed she couldn’t help more people,” he said.
“But everybody wants to live their life with another person – she got to do that.”
Professor Gerard Sutton, the medical director of Lions NSW Eye Bank, incorporated by the NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service at Kogarah, says only about one to two per cent of people who die in hospital will be eligible to donate their organs.
“Few people die in such a way that they can be organ donors,” he said.
“However, many more people have the potential to become tissue donors.
“One tissue donor can save and transform the lives of many others.
“Eye donation for example, can make the difference between someone seeing and being blind.
“In 2015, the Lions NSW Eye Bank met the demand for corneal transplants but the need is ongoing.
To ensure this level of care continues, World Sight Day is a timely reminder to all families to discuss their donation decisions, and to register those decisions on the Australian Organ Donor Register.”
