Children's organ donation and transplantation V.01
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Imagining the Unimaginable: How can we support more parents to donate their children’s organs after they die?
IRAS ID
360604
Contact name
Leah McLaughlin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Losing a child is an unimaginable heartbreak. When this happens in an intensive care setting, parents are suddenly faced with overwhelming grief, shock and difficult decisions. One of these may be whether to donate their child’s organs, a question that can feel urgent, emotional, and incredibly hard to consider.
For some families, organ donation offers comfort or a sense of legacy. For others, it feels too painful or not right for them. Parents may have questions about what their child would have wanted, cultural or religious beliefs, or how donation fits alongside end-of-life care. All of this happens at a time of deep distress.
Healthcare teams also find these conversations difficult. They must support families with sensitivity, while working within time-critical processes. Differences in donation laws across the UK can add further confusion for parents and clinicians.
Research shows that families who say no often share the same worries as families who say yes, particularly around emotional strain and fear of disrupting their child’s final moments. Families who do say yes often speak about helping others or creating a positive legacy.
This research aims to better understand how to support families through this decision by: Listening to parents, families, young people, and healthcare staff about their experiences, emotions, and challenges.
Learning from other countries about what helps families feel supported in making these decisions.
Exploring how different consent laws across the UK affect families and decision-making.Parents, families, and members of the public are helping shape this work to make sure it truly reflects what families need.
The goal is to build a more compassionate, family-centred approach so that, if parents are asked about organ donation, they feel supported, informed, and cared for every step of the way.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0265
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion