'My son's death meant four people could live'

A mum who campaigned for more than a decade for an opt-out organ donation system on the Isle of Man after the death of her son has said seeing the law finally pass was "bittersweet".

Politicians cleared the final hurdles of the new legislation in Tynwald on Tuesday, which means everyone on the island will become an automatic organ donor unless they opt-out.

It is known as Daniel's Law, in memory of 15-year-old Daniel Boyde, whose organs saved the lives of four other people when they were donated after he was in a car crash near Ramsey in 2007.

His mum Diane Taylor said seeing the law passed was "very emotional" but she was proud to reach the moment.

The Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act was given Royal Assent in July 2021, and is to be officially introduced on 1 January 2026.

The decision to donate organs on the Isle of Man was always based upon an "opt-in" system, meaning potential tissue and organ donors have to register their interest and consent.

Changing to an "opt out" system will see adults automatically consent to donating, unless they register their opposition.

As of 30 June this year there were 12 people on the Isle of Man transplant waiting list.

In 2007, Diane Taylor said her world came crashing down when she received a call that her son Daniel had been in a car crash and was unconscious.

The 15-year-old was later declared brain dead at Noble's Hospital and his parents were told only the machines were keeping him alive.

In the midst of tragedy, they were asked whether they would like to donate Daniel's organs.

It was something they were certain Daniel would have wanted, and his heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys were donated, saving four lives.

Ms Taylor has been campaigning for more than a decade for the law change, which she said would help families in the darkest of times.

She said: "When you're in that position having to make a decision at such a traumatic time... it's just awful."

Now the final hurdles have been passed in Tynwald, Ms Taylor said she was "so proud".

"It's bittersweet because I can't tell him but I know he's with us," she said, adding he was "living on" through the lives of the people his organs saved.

In 2016, Nicola Leslie was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, where the heart struggles to pump effectively.

It led to heart failure, and she was given two weeks to live unless a viable heart could be found for her.

She was airlifted to Manchester and on 7 March she was able to receive a new heart.

Ms Leslie said: "You can never be grateful enough to the families."

Receiving a man's heart of a similar age, Ms Leslie said she was "passionate" about writing to her donor's family.

She said: "You say thank you every day, but this woman gave me her husband's heart and all I can say is thank you, it seems lacking."

Ms Leslie said she later learned that her donor had connections to the Isle of Man's biking community, and his ashes had been spread on the TT course.

She would occasionally go to the site to "say hello" and often referred to her heart by his name, she said.

With her new lease of life she said she was a lot calmer and "laughs at things now that I'd previously get annoyed with".

She said: "I don't think you realise until you've been that close, or that poorly, quite how precious life is."

In October 2017, MHK at the time Martyn Perkins put forward proposals to adopt an opt-out organ donation system.

Nine years later, Perkins said he understood why it had taken so long: "Like any piece of social legislation you've got to get it right."

He said the law simply asked the public "to make your wishes known".

While the default will become an opt-out system, he explained that anyone wishing not to be a donor can still make that choice.

Perkins said the passing of Daniel's law had been a political career highlight and considered it "one of the most important pieces of social legislation" on the island.

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