Organ plea after Downham Kath's death
EVEN in death well-known Downham face Kath Knight is helping people, her devoted husband has said after revealing the brave decision to allow her organs to be donated.
Mrs Knight, who owned Knight's Bakers with husband Max for 30 years, suffered a brain haemorrhage and died suddenly last week, aged 63.
Mr Knight has pleaded for others to follow his wife's lead and let their families know they wish for their organs to be donated, saying the short-term pain of giving consent is outweighed by the long-term good.
He said: "She helped people all her life and she is helping people even now. It's very hard at the time but she wanted to do it and it makes me feel better to know other people are benefiting.
"My son has joked that all the people who have had the transplants will be developing ironing fads and cleaning fads – she never stopped and was always on the go."
Mr Knight was gardening alongside his wife on Wednesday, November 28, when she suddenly felt ill and complained of a severe headache. He helped her inside, but she began to fit and despite an ambulance being on the scene within minutes, never regained consciousness. She died at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital's critical care unit the next day.
Mr and Mrs Knight moved to Downham from Sussex in the early '70s and ran a caf for a couple of years before launching their bakery in Railway Road and becoming famous for their elaborate Downham Festival cakes – once including a 6ft version of the town's clock tower. The couple, who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in September, retired eight years ago and sold up but continued to live next door to the business, which retains their name.
They have a son Robin (38), married to Emily, and two grandchildren – Benjamin (two) and Abigail (seven months).
Mr Knight said: "She was my right hand. People would say we were joined at the hip because we did everything together. In recent years her life was our grandkids and I'm so grateful she got to see them."
Mrs Knight's funeral will be held at Mintlyn crematorium, at 3.15pm on Tuesday, followed by a celebration of life at Jenyns Arms, Denver Sluice. Family flowers only, donations to QEH's critical care unit.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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