Transplant shock for York woman, 23 (From York Press)

Transplant shock for York woman, 23

8:40am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

Becky Suchecki

A YOUNG woman from York has spent the festive season in hospital after a routine operation left her needing an emergency heart transplant.

Hayley Adderwell, 23, from Bootham, is unable to leave hospital after complications following a heart valve operation left her seriously ill.

Her partner, Becky Suchecki, 27, said Hayley’s case highlighted the need for people to sign up for the organ donor register and she has urged them to do so.

Miss Suchecki said: “She has got to stay in there until she gets a transplant. She has had problems since birth, but a routine valve operation resulted in an infection and then heart failure.

“It’s really tough. We weren’t expecting it because after having this valve surgery, she was expecting her health, in general, to improve.

“It wasn’t seriously impacting on her life, but this has left her worse for wear. She has got to be on continuous IV treatment now just to keep her heart going as long as it can. She has been assessed and is now on the urgent list in terms of a heart transplant.”

Miss Suchecki, who has spent much of Christmas at Hayley’s bedside, is asking for application forms for the organ donor register to be made more widely available.

She said: “I would like to see the NHS make a greater effort to advertise and educate us on organ and blood donation, in local surgeries. I think there should be more done to push the application forms. If you have ever considered signing up to the organ donor register then do it – especially at this time of year.”

In 2010, The Press ran its Lifesavers campaign to raise awareness of organ donation and to urge people to join the register.

For more information or to sign up, visit organdonation.nhs.uk or blood.co.uk, phone 0300 123 23 23 or text SAVE to 84118.