‘My organ transplant enabled me to watch my kids grow up’

A woman who had a lifesaving liver transplant 20 years ago has said she is “so grateful” to her donor and family, who gave her a lifeline to see her children grow up and to meet her six grandchildren.

Nicki Detko, 66, of Preston, was critically ill with a rare autoimmune liver disease called primary biliary cholangitis in 2005, and was told she had only months to live.

She said “unbelievably”, after arriving home from signing transplant forms, a suitable donor was found and she was operated on the next day.

“It means everything as I would have never seen the children grow up, have successful careers, meet wonderful partners and go on to marry and have six gorgeous grandchildren,” she said.

She said: “When I gave birth to our fourth child in 1995, apparently it triggered an auto immune disease.

“Unbelievably I went on the transplant list on a Monday and had my liver transplant the following day.

“It was a shock to arrive home from signing transplant forms and then take a phone call to tell us to return 75 miles back, as a suitable liver had become available for me.”

She said the news left her with mixed emotions. “It left me thinking of my donor and family who were going through a very different situation to us,” she said.

It was an emotional time for her and her husband of 40 years, Tad, with their children having new schools, college and university to contend with – as well as her parents moving in to help try to keep home life as normal as possible.

Two decades on from her lifesaving transplant, Ms Detko said it was a “proud moment” when she took part in the Manchester Marathon, “to celebrate and to thank my donor and family”.

The retired PE school teacher said: “Although I’m unaware who these special people are, I hope I have done them proud by living a healthy life and keeping fit and competing in the British, European and World Transplant Games, winning many medals in golf, 5km and track races, 800m and 1500m, and some relays.”

She has spent the past 20 years trying to raise awareness of organ donation.

This includes asking people to tell their families about their wish to donate their organs “in the hope that less people die waiting”, as well as raising funds for transplant charities “to give something back”.

She called some people’s wait “heartbreaking, and makes me realise I am one lucky lady”.

Ms Detko has now become one of the inspirational faces of a national NHS Christmas social media campaign Hope Takes Flight.

It features videos created by NHS Blood and Transplant of her story – along with two other powerful recipient stories and a child organ donor story – to urge families to consider organ donation this festive season.

She said it was an “absolute honour” to take part.

“I am so grateful to be here 20 years after transplant and delighted to be given the opportunity to give some hope to others waiting or who have just been transplanted.

“I am also deeply saddened and sorry for the ones who passed away but in awe of their wonderful families who allow their loved one’s organs to live on and hopefully make them proud like we all are of our donors.”

Anthony Clarkson, a director at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: ”At this time of giving and thinking of others, please give hope to the thousands of people, including hundreds of children, waiting for a lifesaving phone call this Christmas.

“Their lives can only be saved by the ultimate act of humanity and kindness – organ donation. Up to nine lives can be saved when sadly a life is lost.”