A FATHER is urging people to to give the gift of life this festive period as he prepares for his first Christmas Day without the love of his life.

Alec Huckin lost Kim Exell in March after she died suddenly while changing their four-month-old daughter Emelia.

Mr Huckin said although the death of his partner of 11 years devastated him, he was comforted by the fact her organs helped to save so many people.

He said: “It was just one of those normal mornings with the person you love where we were both lying in bed, determined not to get up because our little girl was crying and we each wanted the other one to see to her.

“Eventually Kim got out of bed and went to see to her but my heart stopped when I suddenly heard her screaming my name from the other room.”

Mr Huckin ran into Emelia’s room to find Ms Exell collapsed on the floor and shouting for an ambulance, which woke their four-year-old son William.

He said: “Eventually the ambulances came and we took her to hospital, but I knew something was seriously wrong.

“I soon found out that the arteries in the back of her brain had burst. It was devastating.”

Ms Exell spent another day in the John Radcliffe Hospital and underwent various tests but the doctors told Mr Huckin there was nothing more they could do.

The Kidlington resident said: “When I found out Kim was dying I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t going to see my partner, my best friend and the love of my life ever again.”

It was then Mr Huckin discovered his partner, who was a full-time mum, had registered as an organ donor before her death.

Mr Huckin, who works as an engineer, said: “To sit there and be asked if you’ll give away bits of your partner is one of the most painful things you can experience.

“I’ll never be able to explain how it felt. It broke me and my heart.

“At first I was angry because someone else was going to get my beautiful partner’s organs and upset that I’d had to make such a horrible decision.

“But after a few months I realised what an incredible and selfless thing my Kim had done.”

After her death, Ms Exell was awarded the Order of St John Award from St John Ambulance, which posthumously recognises people who saved lives through organ donation.

Chairman of St John Ambulance James Macnamara said: “There are so many desperate for organs and we need to encourage more people like Kim to sign on to the organ donor list to save lives.”

Mr Huckin not only wanted to encourage people to sign on to the donor list this Christmas, but he wanted to encourage education around the subject.

He said: “People talk about babies and they talk about living, but no-one ever talks about death or organ donation and that needs to change.

“Death is a natural part of our lives and it needs to be addressed properly by each of us.”