Ken Banks<\/span>North east Scotland reporter, Stonehaven<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Arlene Hutchinson’s husband, Mark, was only 52 when he died unexpectedly last year after suffering two strokes “out of the blue”.<\/p>\n Like many couples they had never discussed organ donation but she knew it was what he would have wanted.<\/p>\n Now Arlene and son Jack, 12, take comfort in the knowledge that Mark has helped transform the lives of others.<\/p>\n She said: “He lives on in four people. That can only be a good thing.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arlene and Jack, who live near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire, hope that their story encourages people to speak about the sensitive subject before it is too late.<\/p>\n They also want to raise awareness about strokes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arlene, 51, who works in marketing, met Mark in 2004.<\/p>\n He worked in behavioural health and safety but they did not become a couple until 2007.<\/p>\n Arlene described him as the love of her life and they married in New York in 2010.<\/p>\n Jack was born two years later and they were soon joined by pet dog, Luna.<\/p>\n She recalled: “We had a really happy life together, the three of us.”<\/p>\n Arlene said they had a “healthy” family lifestyle.<\/p>\n The couple were non-smokers, ate well and enjoyed taking Luna for walks.<\/p>\n But last summer their lives were suddenly turned upside down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arlene and Jack took the dog for a walk while Mark was in the shower getting ready for a family event.<\/p>\n When they got back, Arlene said Mark was emotional.<\/p>\n “He told me he was not feeling right at all, and had fallen,” she said. “He just wasn’t himself. And he had a numb tongue.”<\/p>\n Mark’s speech started to go, and one side of his face drooped – classic stroke symptoms.<\/p>\n “It was very, very distressing,” she said.<\/p>\n They tried to keep him calm while they waited for an ambulance.<\/p>\n After arriving in hospital, Arlene was told her husband had a blood clot in the brain but was still conscious and sitting up.<\/p>\n She said there was “fear” in Mark’s eyes, and he was taken to the stroke ward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Over the coming days, the talk was of recovery.<\/p>\n But Mark then suffered a second stroke and lost consciousness.<\/p>\n Arlene said she “still had hope” as they waited for scan results, but they revealed the “devastating” news that Mark’s brain had been left severely damaged.<\/p>\n “There was not any good outcome,” she said. <\/p>\n “I knew Mark would never want to be like that – where he just could not do anything for himself.<\/p>\n “I will never have to do anything as hard as tell Jack.”<\/p>\n As Arlene came to terms with the news she spoke to the donor team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n She said: “We decided that was what we would like to do. <\/p>\n “Mark was going to die. I felt it was an easy decision for me to make. <\/p>\n “Knowing the person Mark was, I know that he would have wanted this wholeheartedly to help others.”<\/p>\n He died two days later, and was taken to theatre.<\/p>\n Arlene said: “The amazing specialist organ donation team stepped in.<\/p>\n “They cared for Mark and my family with so much dignity and respect. <\/p>\n “They were with us during our darkest moments and when Mark passed away.<\/p>\n “The team found four recipients for Mark’s organs, and we have amazingly since heard from one recipient whose life has completely changed since gaining two kidneys from Mark.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arlene and Jack recently unveiled an art installation at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary which pays tribute to organ donors.<\/p>\n Artist Shelagh Swanson was commissioned to work with the relatives of donors, along with young people at more than a dozen secondary schools, to create the ripple-effect art.<\/p>\n Workshops were held with secondary school pupils across Aberdeen, and in Aberdeenshire in Stonehaven, Kemnay, Huntly, Inverurie and Peterhead.<\/p>\n Arlene said she was honoured to unveil the artwork and added: “I am in awe of what the small but dedicated organ donation team achieve and will be forever grateful to them.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Everyone in Scotland became an automatic organ donor from 2021 under new laws, unless they opt out.<\/p>\n Under the previous system, more than half of Scotland’s population were registered to donate their organs or tissue after their death.<\/p>\n It is now presumed that people have consented to donation unless they have stated otherwise.<\/p>\n There are some exemptions, including children under the age of 16, and adults who lack the capacity to understand the new law – for example those with dementia.<\/p>\n The aim is that more people can be given life-saving and life-changing transplants.<\/p>\n People who do not want their organs to be donated for a transplant can opt out through the Organ Donation Scotland website.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Hutchinson](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/97fa\/live\/27cd48c0-9ecb-11f0-928c-71dbb8619e94.jpg.webp\")
Hutchinson family<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20251007-082128-301112d266-web-2.31.2-2\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Hutchinson](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/058b\/live\/f7ccb220-a51c-11f0-9cda-fff576c5be6d.jpg.webp\")
Hutchinson family<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Teenager](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/ac02\/live\/c68bfbb0-a03c-11f0-af31-9d0b79382753.jpg.webp\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Recipient’s life has changed’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"NHS](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/a5d0\/live\/d9a3f150-a6ca-11f0-bf22-9df87c17cee5.jpg.webp\")
NHS Grampian<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat is the law on organ donation in Scotland?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Hutchinson](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/8f2a\/live\/1a4e2730-a6bb-11f0-a356-d3fc7522eb5a.jpg.webp\")