The Donor Family Network
1092. Jane Nix
1093. David Nix
Jane and David Nix, from Birmingham, are the founders of ‘The Donor Family Network,’ an organisation set up to raise awareness of organ donation and provide support to donor families.
The charity was founded in 1997 following the death of David and Jane’s daughter Rebecca, who died in a car accident in America at the age of 21. As she had carried an organ donation card since the age of 7, Rebecca became a multi-tissue donor. Jane and David set up the organisation to provide the support they received in America to people in the UK. The ‘Donor Family Network’ is the only charity supporting donor families in the UK. They work closely with ‘NHS Blood and Transplant,’ and ‘The British Transplant Games,’ and were part of the Government led ‘Organ Donation Taskforce.’
In a personal letter to Jane and David, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“As founders of ‘The Donor Family Network’ you have helped to raise awareness of organ donation and have provided support to hundreds of donor families nationwide. By working in partnership with donor families, professionals and recipients you are helping to make positive changes in the transplant community. This is a truly remarkable way of honouring your daughter’s memory, and you should be very proud of what you have achieved.”
Jane and David said:
“We consider it a great honour to be even thought of for any award as the charity was set up to help as many donor families as possible and also to promote organ/tissue donation, not for any gain on our part. We have received great satisfaction out of assisting those who need our help and establishing the charity to continue with this work for many, many years to come.”