The Bermuda Organ Donor Association is hoping to help to alleviate some of the stress experienced by patients waiting for a transplant.

The charity is organising an event this month that will allow those on the donor waiting list to meet others who have been through the same, or similar, medical procedures.

John Drew, who owes his life to a liver donation, came up with the idea to launch such an event in Bermuda because the service had been available to him in the United States when he had his transplant in 2003. He told The Royal Gazette: “I went to one of these meetings at Johns Hopkins. You can talk to people who have been through it and they can give you answers you can’t necessarily get from a doctor.

“That’s not to put doctors down but some questions they do not know the answers to. Until someone cuts you open, takes out bits and puts bits back in, you can’t describe that.

“The basic things people want to know are, which are the best hospitals and what does the procedure feel like?

“The other thing is medication. A lot of people have a serious fear, especially people on a low income, about what it is going to cost. Immuno-suppressors are not cheap and you may need other stuff and it all mounts up. You can get some idea of what it will cost and how far insurance can cover and whether charities can help.

“People who are on a transplant list don’t really like to talk about their issues. They don’t want people looking at them saying, ‘he’s waiting for a transplant’.

“But the people at this event will be just like them and may have been through exactly the same thing. Everybody’s in the same boat. When you come along you see all these people walking around who might not be here if they had not had a transplant.

“I have been trying to get this event introduced for about two years and this is the first event.”

Charmaigne Laws lost her daughter, Chardré Yawana, in a car crash on January 1, 2002.

When asked by doctors whether she would consent to her daughter’s organs being used for donation, Ms Laws told them to take everything they could use. Ms Laws eventually had the opportunity to meet the man who received Chardré’s heart, Jose Famania, whom she now describes as her “son”. She added: “Meeting my daughter’s heart recipient was totally awesome and I have had the privilege of being part of his family.

“He is going to send a taped video about what it was like to go through the heart transplant just in case no one turns up who has been through it.”

Those who have had transplants will be wearing badges saying which kind of transplant they have been through so those seeking advice can approach those with similar experiences.

The informal gathering is due to take place on January 30 from 6pm to 9pm at St Andrew’s Church, Pembroke. There will be light refreshments and drinks. Entry is free.

• For more information call 239-1282 or e-mail botacharity@gmail.com