A TRANSPLANT patient who owes her life to someone else's heart has today backed plans to consider changing organ donation laws.Daphne Hurst, 70, underwent a lifesaving heart transplant operation three years ago at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

A TRANSPLANT patient who owes her life to someone else's heart has today backed plans to consider changing organ donation laws.

Daphne Hurst, 70, underwent a lifesaving heart transplant operation three years ago at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

But she knows she was one of the lucky ones, as thousands of patients in the UK still face an agonising wait for the organs that could save their life.

So Mrs Hurst, of Tymmes Place, Hasketon, has thrown her weight behind the suggestion from the prime minister, Gordon Brown, that the law may be changed to an opt-out system of donation rather than the current opt-in setup, hopefully increasing the rate of organ donation.

The mother-of-one said: “I would support it because I'm bias I suppose, but I know it would help save lives.

“Currently a lot of people are just too lazy to sign up to being organ donors, even if that is what they want, or they have never even thought of it.

“I do understand that it is a complex issue and I do have some reservations, but as long as you are able to opt-out I think it is a great idea.

“At Papworth doctors said to me that the problem is there aren't enough hearts available. They could do two operations a week, but if they get one heart they are doing well, even though they're itching to do the operations.

“I almost feel guilty that I was so lucky and got a heart within six hours of needing it when the waiting list for kidneys is atrocious.”

Do you think the organ donation system should be changed? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.