Sister of man whose organs were donated to three different people urges public to register as donors

When Andrew Grundy was on his deathbed, his mother did not know he vowed to donate his organs. After his wish was honoured, his organs saved the lives of three people.

Vanessa Summers at Bellerive Beach with a picture of her late brother Andrew Grundy. Picture: Linda Higginson

About 22 years ago, while pregnant with her son, Vanessa Summers and her brother Andrew Grundy decided to register as organ donors.

“We lived on the West Coast, and at the time, there was nowhere you could donate blood,” Ms Summers said.

“Andrew and I were talking about it one day, and we decided, ‘well, why don’t we become organ donors if we can’t donate blood?’ because we used to have to travel to do that.

“We were young, and it just sort of really made us wake up to life when I fell pregnant with Connor.”

There are currently around 1800 Australians on the waitlist to receive an organ donation.

While 48 per cent of Tasmanians are registered organ donors, less than two per cent of people who die in hospital meet the clinical criteria where a donation can be considered.

DonateLife Executive Officer Davin Hibberd with Vanessa Summers at Bellerive Beach and picture of her late brother Andrew Grundy. Picture: Linda Higginson

Last year, Mr Grundy went into hospital after having a cardiac arrest and had to be placed in an induced coma.

“We’d been at the hospital with Andrew for five days when we found out that his brain was no longer functioning,” Ms Summers said.

“It had been a really tough week, and it was the third child my mum was about to lose.

“I think that if my mum and dad had been there alone, I don’t think they would have been able to make the decision to donate his organs.

“But I think having my sister and myself there, knowing that Andrew and I made that decision 21 years ago to become an organ donor, made it a little bit easier.”

Ms Summer’s family was one of 21 last year who honoured their loved one’s decision to donate.

Mr Grundy’s organs were used for transplants in three different people. For Ms Summer, that meant she felt as though his death “wasn’t in vain”.

“Somewhere out there now, there is still a little piece of Andrew living on. That was the main thing we spoke about, that him dying wasn’t all going to be for nothing.

“Three other families now don’t have to go through the pain that we had to. They’ve now still got their loved ones with them.”

Ms Summers encouraged more people to become organ donors.

“Do it with your family so they know your wishes.

“When and if it ever did come to a time like that for your family, they don’t have to make that decision; they know your wishes and what they were.”

Those who want to register as an organ donor can do so on the DonateLife website.

Originally published as Sister of man whose organs were donated to three different people urges public to register as donors