My promise to donor who saved my life at Christmas

A man who had a life-saving lung transplant on Christmas Eve has kept his pledge to his donor's family by encouraging more people to join the organ donor register.

Joe Russell, from Worthing, West Sussex, was born with cystic fibrosis and said he was "on the verge of death" before a transplant 10 years ago.

Mr Russell, an origami artist, has created a series of paper aeroplanes for the NHS campaign Hope Takes Flight, to symbolise the passing of life from one person to another.

He said he wrote an anonymous letter to his donor's family, with a promise that "I would use this chance for something that is more important than me".

In the South East, 864 people are on the waiting list for a transplant. Last year, 575 people in the region received a transplant.

In 2015, Mr Russell's lungs were damaged beyond repair and doctors feared he would not survive.

He had only been on the transplant register for only 10 days before he was given the ultimate gift - a lung transplant which saved his life.

"It's life where there was only death before," he said of the effect the transplant had on him," Mr Russel said.

"It's just being able to do very, very simple things that most people take for granted - I'm not talking about climbing Everest, just having the energy to walk, talk, see friends and make plans for the future.

"Everything that was gone is suddenly available. It's a new life."

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.