An Everton matchday steward is leading a campaign to illuminate Liverpool landmarks pink in tribute to his daughter Megan and promote the importance of Organ Donation Week.
Hill Dickinson Stadium will join other city landmarks on Monday 21 September in paying tribute to 17-year-old Megan Hilton, whose organs helped to save five lives after she suffered a sudden brain aneurism last July.
Megan, an aspiring paediatric nurse who tragically passed away six days after the event, had ticked the organ donation box on her provisional driving licence application just weeks before her untimely death.
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Amid the ongoing grief at losing their beloved daughter, father David, mum Claire and Megan’s 14-year-old sister Isabella, are aiming to raise awareness of the need for willing donors to discuss their decision with family members, which their daughter had, in order to dramatically increase the odds of saving more lives.
According to research from NHS Blood and Transplant, family consent for organ donation has dropped by almost a fifth in the last five years. The organ waiting list is also at its highest ever level, with more than 8,600 people currently waiting for a transplant and nine people dying every week while waiting for a transplant.
David, who has been a steward at Goodison Park and Hill Dickinson Stadium for 16 years, explained: “It’s one thing signing up to donate organs, but it’s so, so important to also let your loved ones know.
“On average, if people sign up and have that conversation, families are 90 per cent inclined to agree and say yes should they ever find themselves in that awful position.
“If people haven’t had that conversation, or they’re unsure, fewer than 50 per cent of families agree to the organ donation process.
“There’s a bit of a misconception that if people sign up to the register, their organs will be donated no matter what.
“But this is the message which I’m really, really trying to get out. As a family, we could have said no and, in that situation, our decision stands.
“People are confused and there’s a lot going on at that time. And you don’t know what’s going on.
“That’s why it’s so, so important after joining that register for people to have that conversation and let their loved ones know their wishes. Because otherwise an opportunity to save lives is lost.”
On Monday, Megan and thousands of heroic donors like her, will be remembered as Hill Dickinson Stadium, Wallasey Town Hall, the Royal Liver Building and the Cunard Building join buildings across the UK in lighting up pink to mark the start of National Organ Donation Week, which runs between September 21 – 27.
“Megan was just 17 when she passed away. She was amazing and was working towards becoming a nurse and was flying, basically,” said David.
“Just a few weeks before, we went to Manchester University and we were looking at the courses they had.
“She would have been a great nurse. She was very kind. And I think the fact that she had the desire and the foresight to sign up to the register is just one example of how thoughtful she was. Even at such a young age, she really cared and wanted to help other people.”
He added: “When she applied for her provisional license, just a few weeks before her death, she ticked the box. But what’s stayed with me is that she was so insistent that we knew.
“She made it abundantly clear that if anything happened, that’s what she wanted.
“She was so clear in her wishes and now, everything we do to promote Organ Donation, is for Megan and the other families.
“There’s about 1,400 other families last year who will have gone through something similar. Some were older, some may well have been younger. People would have lost a mum or dad, a brother, a sister, a son, daughter.
“We’re not unique. We’ve joined a very small, exclusive club which no-one wants membership of. But if we can just make it better for those who are currently on the organ waiting list, it will be worthwhile.”
