Lewis’ parents support for opt-out law
THE PARENTS of a Halifax teenager who saved six lives following his death have supported the new ‘Opt-out’ law.
Lewis Hilton, 19, was fit and healthy before being struck down by the deadly infection in January 2018.
The condition of the teenager - described as a ‘wonderful son’ by mum Tracy - rapidly deteriorated and by the time he arrived at the hospital near his home on January 26, he was unable to walk by himself or communicate. Despite the best efforts of medics, the infection overwhelmed Lewis’ body. He died just two days later.
His mum, Tracy Hilton, said: “We are so very proud of him every day and organ donation, as well as helping to give other people a chance at a longer and healthier life, has helped us in some way to try and make sense of the senseless.”
Among those saved by Lewis was a young lady in her 20s who received a kidney - and man in his 50s who received a kidney and pancreas. A woman in her 50s received part of Lewis’ liver, while a baby boy only a few months old also received part of Lewis’ liver. A man in his 50s also received a lifesaving heart transplant and a woman in her 30s received a double lung transplant through the incredible donation.
Lewis had told his mother he wanted to be put on the organ donation register while applying for a replacement driving licence.
Most adults are now automatically considered organ donors, after a change in legislation thanks to campaigning by a young boy who got a new heart from a nine-year-old girl who died after a car crash. Max and Keira’s law sees a shift to an optout system, whereby those aged 18 and over are deemed to have given consent to donate their own organs, unless they explicitly state otherwise or are in an excluded group.
Tracy said: “We are delighted that over 18’s now have to opt out if they do not want to be a donor. We would also want to reach out to parents who find themselves in the situation we were in and let them know that, although their hearts will forever be broken and life will never be the same again, they will find some small comfort in knowing that they may have prevented another family going through this nightmare.”
We are delighted that over 18’s now have to opt out if they do not want to be a donor
FOLLOW US: Online, on Facebook or Twitter @HxCourier