A FEW weeks ago I attended the funeral of a very dear old school friend of mine, Pat Rodgers, who died suddenly following a brain haemorrhage at the age of 52.

Pat was an avid advocate of organ donation – as am I – and we discussed this subject regularly with friends and at our annual Christmas night out just before the turn of the year.

We did not, of course, expect that just a few short weeks later his family would have to make the harrowing decision to turn off his life-support system.

At Pat’s funeral service, the priest read out a letter from the NHS organ transplant co-ordinator who advised that a lady who had been on the Kidney Transplant Register for more than 13 years had received one of Pat’s kidneys.

His other kidney, he added, went to someone who had been on the Kidney Transplant Register waiting list for more than three years.

Pat’s liver was also transplanted and his pancreas was able to be used for research purposes.

Earlier this month, on March 18, I attended the funeral of a young cousin, Dean Shades, which was extensively reported in this newspaper.

Dean (or “Deano” as he was known among the younger ones in our midst) was only 25 years old when he died suddenly at home in Drumchapel.

The communities of Drumchapel and Clydebank – where his parents Allison and Michael and his younger siblings live – came together to celebrate his contribution to their lives.

Many thanks from me to all those who helped celebrate two wonderful young men and for the personal messages of condolences that I received, in particular from the parents of two young people of similar age who died locally over the last few years.

Thanks Gillian, Vicki and Ali; many thanks also to Alex Black, Funeral Director, and John Oliver as well.

Only yesterday, a very close friend, Mick, underwent major heart surgery at the Golden Jubilee hospital.

All would appear to have gone well with the operation and I look forward to catching up with Mick in the next few days.

If you could spare a thought, prayer or a minute for Mick as well as for my friend Linda’s father, Mr Tolland, who is ill and is being treated in the QEUH.