Terry became a tissue donor

When Terry died after a battle with bowel cancer and pulmonary fibrosis, his family believed his illness meant donation would not be possible. But the day after his death, they received a phone call from the Queensland Tissue Bank asking if the family would consider donating Terry's eye tissue.  

'Getting that phone call gave us all a good reason to sit around the table and discuss what Dad would have wanted. Dad would help anyone, even if it was just a small part of himself,' Terry's youngest daughter Vicky said. 

The decision carried special meaning for the family. Terry's nephew, Ben, has undergone multiple corneal transplants after losing his sight due to an inherited condition. 

'It was nice to know we could support people like Ben. Dad and Ben now have this special connection through donation.' Vicky said. 

Known for his kindness, generosity and sense of humour, Terry was a proud Royal Australian Air Force veteran, having built lifelong friendships during his military career.  

Terry's impact on those around him was clear when more than 200 people attended his memorial, despite his wish for a small gathering. Former colleagues and Defence personnel travelled from Canberra and joined online from the United States to pay their respects and present him posthumously with a Department of Defence Commendation – Gold.  Although he knew the nomination had been submitted, Terry never learnt that it had been approved on the day he passed away. 

A devoted husband of 48 years, father and grandfather, Terry loved teaching his daughter's and grandchildren practical life skills and encouraging them to tackle any challenge. Vicky remembers him as the person everyone turned to for help. 

'He was one of the kindest people you'd ever come across. He was the sort of person you'd go to for anything, he always had a solution. I felt lucky to call him Dad.' 

Even while receiving cancer treatment, Terry remained positive, often bringing treats for staff at his appointments. 

Vicky hopes sharing her family's experience encourages more people to talk about tissue donation with their families. If someone is being considered as a tissue donor, a phone call is made to the family soon after the person's death - but tissue donation can be raised by the family earlier, if they know what their family member wanted. 

'It's a difficult call for families to receive, especially so soon after losing someone. But if people know their loved one's wishes and have had those conversations, it can make all the difference,' Vicky said.