A LOVING husband attended an organ donation service at Barnsley Hospital’s chapel - on the day of what would have been his donor wife’s 66th birthday.
Andrea Dickinson passed away on this day last year after she was found to have fibrosis of the lungs.
Her husband David, 70, her brother Paul Kilner and sister-in-law Kath Kilner were among families who came to the chapel service on Wednesday to mark Organ Donation Week.
David also helped unveil a new organ donation mural near the hospital shop, by cutting a ribbon with Charles Bedforth, whose wife Hayley was also an organ donor.
David and Andrea, from Hoyland, were married for over 40 years and their eyes first met in an unlikely setting - the IZAL factory in Chapeltown - before going on to have two sons.
David said: “I was a forklift truck driver and Andrea worked on the factory floor as a production operator.
“Andrea’s cousin, Carol, also worked at the IZAL factory and it was through her that I got to meet Andrea.
“I walked past her one day and she said ‘a penny for your thoughts’.
“I was feeling a bit down and Andrea must have picked up on that - she was very compassionate.
“We had so much in common. She liked my kind of music and was very chatty.
“If we went to see my friends, she talked to them as if she’d known them for years.”
Two years ago, David and Andrea went on holiday to Tenerife and David became aware there was something wrong with Andrea’s breathing.
He added: “There was a mix-up at the airport and we had to walk miles and go up two flights of stairs.
“I looked at Andrea and realised how ill she was.
“When we got home, she would put the TV on and just sit in her chair.
“She wouldn’t go for walks with me and the dog.”
On one day last year, Andrea said she felt ‘terrible’ and David called an ambulance.
She was found to have fibrosis of the lungs and passed away just two days after her 65th birthday.
The couple had always supported organ and tissue donation and agreed to donate Andrea’s corneas.
The corneas went to two women - one aged 65, and one aged 73.
“It’s the greatest gift you can give,” said David.
“The body that is left is just a vessel and people can use it to make others better.
“After all, I would give my kidneys for my own boys.
“Andrea was my dream girl and could walk into a room and just light it up.
“Knowing we have helped others offers some comfort to me - the fact that the chapel service coincided with her birthday makes me think she organised it specially.”
