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Father who survived SIX heart operations backs NHS appeal as nine die each week awaiting transplant

gbnews.com · 10h · first reportShare

A father who survived six open-heart operations before receiving a life-saving transplant has backed the National Health Service's urgent appeal for new organ donor registrations as Britain faces a deadly transplant crisis. Kev Rands, 41, underwent his first operation at just ten days old and spent much of his life struggling to breathe before finally receiving a donor heart aged 27. Now married with two children, he is urging families to discuss their wishes after NHS figures revealed nine people die every week waiting for an organ transplant. The NHS has launched its first-ever urgent response plan following a sharp decline in donations, with more than 8,700 patients now waiting for a life-saving transplant. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Family consent rates have plunged from 67 per cent in 2020/21 to just 57 per cent in 2025/26, while deceased donation rates are currently running nine per cent below last year. Speaking to GB News ahead of World Heart Day, Mr Rands, a father of tw