A mother from Cardiff has spoken of the "phenomenal" legacy of her young son, whose donated heart has kept another boy alive for a decade. Anna Bates made the agonising decision to donate her seven-year-old son Fraser's organs after he and his father, Stuart, 43, were fatally hit by a car in December 2015.
A Life-Saving Connection Forged from Tragedy
The recipient of Fraser's heart was a baby boy named Roman, who was born with a severe condition called newborn dilated cardiomyopathy. Doctors feared Roman would not survive without a transplant. The transplant took place shortly after the crash in Talbot Green, south Wales, which claimed the lives of Fraser and Stuart.
Anna, a 48-year-old solicitor, recently met Roman, now 10, over the Christmas period, embracing him in a warm hug. She described the organ as "a magic heart" that has created a powerful bond between the two families. "It is just phenomenal that my son, Fraser, had made such a huge difference through his organs being donated," Anna said. "I've got a really close bond with Roman's mum. We have just got this magic heart that joins us."
The Agonising Wait and a Driver's Sentence
Roman's mother, Zoe, described the "emotional rollercoaster" of the ten-month wait for a suitable donor heart, fearing the call would never come. The driver responsible for the crash, Joshua Staples, then 22, admitted two counts of causing death by careless driving. He was subsequently jailed for 16 months.
Anna, who has founded a charity in Fraser's memory, said the sudden loss of her husband and son was "everyone's worst nightmare" and that it "still doesn't feel real 10 years on". She reflected on the brutal shift from a "lovely family of four" to being asked about organ donation within hours of the tragedy.
The Vital Conversation About Organ Donation
Anna is now a passionate advocate for discussing organ donation wishes with loved ones. She highlighted that while children often see it as a "gift of life", adults can shy away from the conversation because it is associated with death. "It's a difficult and taboo subject because we don't want to think about it, but it's so important," she stated. "Children like Roman have been saved because of it and we need to save a lot more."
Wales made history by becoming the first UK nation to introduce a 'soft' opt-out organ donation system on 1 December 2015. This legislation presumes consent for donation unless an individual has registered an objection or their family objects. While consent rates initially rose by around 15% in the first three years, they have since fallen to their lowest level in a decade.
Anna revealed she had mistakenly believed the opt-out law meant her consent as a family member was not needed, emphasising that families still play a crucial role. "These conversations desperately need to be had," she urged, hoping her family's story will encourage others to talk openly about donation and consider the lives they could save.
