Dewsbury dad praises organ donations

Jun 19 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A DEWSBURY man who underwent a seven-hour operation to restore his sight has appealed for more people to register as organ donors.

Stephen Armitage, 36, from Dewsbury, was born blind in one eye and lost the sight in the other after an infection.

Using a cornea taken from an organ donor, surgeons in Leeds rebuilt his infected eye, enabling him to see his youngest son Harry for the first time.

He said registering as a donor was a “difficult decision” but “essential”.

The father of two said: “I think there are still a large number of people waiting for transplants, not just in Leeds but all over the country.

“The only way this list will ever decrease is if more and more people register and give other people a chance like I have been given myself.

“It’s fantastic being able to spend time again with my children in the sunshine with the summer coming and being able to play football and kick a football and know what direction it’s going in.

“Every day there is another little thing that overwhelms me.”