THE sister of a Hagley woman who gave the ultimate gift of life through being an organ donor has been honoured posthumously.

Anne Ingamells received an ‘Order of St John’ award on behalf of her sister Vicki Hancoxone, being one of 23 people who accepted the honour on behalf of passed loved ones at the recent ceremony in Birmingham.

Run in conjunction with NHS Blood and Transplant, the awards were handed out by Col. Heidi Doughty, deputy lord lieutenant for the West Midlands, in recognition of those who saved and improved people’s lives through organ donation.

Keith Hunter, chair of the local county priory group of the Order of St John, said: “Organ donation can clearly save lives and it is also vitally important to say thank you to the families whose loved ones have already donated their organs to assist others.”

Sally Johnson, director of organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the pride and experiences shared by the hundreds of families who have accepted the award on their loved one’s behalf.

“It never ceases to amaze me just how humble people are when you speak to them about having helped to save the lives of patients who were desperately ill. I have never spoken to a single person who has ever regretted their decision to donate.

“These families deserve this honour and recognition to mark their loved ones life-saving gifts. We hope their bravery will inspire others to talk about their own decision with people close to them and record their intention to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register.”

Between April 2014 and March 2015 the number of deceased organ donors in the UK dropped for the first time in 11 years.

Despite this fall, the Order of St John honours the 1,282 people in the UK who donated their organs after death, leading to thousands of patients' lives being saved or transformed.

To join the NHS Organ Donor Register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 2323.