Dear Sirs,

I wish to add my name to those who are deeply unhappy that presumed consent for organ donation may be made legal in Wales.  My reasons for being against this move are:-

Ignorance of such a law may lead to organs being taken without the knowledge of the deceased and his/her family, thereby causing distress.  Not everyone is comfortable with having their freshly departed loved one whisked away before they have had an opportunity to spend a few more precious moments with them.

Organ donation is a laudable wish but should be treated as a gift not as a practiioner's right to receive.

It may deter organ donation if people are unhappy about the methods employed, ie over-eager attempts to gain organs from their bodies. Many more people may decide to opt out rather than leave anything to chance.

It would effectively make a person's body state property.

Many people are concerned that the definition of death may be blurred in a hasty attempt to 'harvest' organs.

Presumed consent could very likely then be extended to other areas of medicine.

I hope that these concerns and those of others will be taken very seriously and this whole programme halted.

Yours faithfully,

Veronica Heald