An Everton matchday steward is leading a campaign to illuminate Liverpool landmarks pink in memory of his teenage daughter and raise awareness of the importance of organ donation.

Hill Dickinson Stadium will join landmarks across the city on Monday 21 September in paying tribute to 17-year-old Megan Hilton, whose organs helped save five lives after she suffered a sudden brain aneurysm last July.

Megan, who dreamed of becoming a paediatric nurse, tragically died six days later.

Just weeks before her death, she had ticked the organ donation box while applying for her provisional driving licence and, crucially, had spoken to her parents about her wishes.

Now, amid the ongoing grief of losing their daughter, Megan’s dad David, mum Claire and 14-year-old sister Isabella are determined to encourage more people to make their organ donation wishes known to their families.

The family hopes Megan’s story will highlight how an important conversation with loved ones can help ensure a person’s decision to become an organ donor is honoured and potentially save more lives.

Research from NHS Blood and Transplant shows family consent for organ donation has fallen by almost a fifth over the past five years.

Meanwhile, the organ transplant waiting list is at its highest ever level, with more than 8,600 people currently waiting for a transplant and around nine people dying every week while waiting.

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.”

Megan and thousands of other organ donors will be remembered on Monday as Hill Dickinson Stadium, Wallasey Town Hall, the Royal Liver Building and the Cunard Building light up pink to mark the beginning of National Organ Donation Week.

The awareness week runs from Monday 21 September until Sunday 27 September and aims to encourage people across the country to confirm their organ donation decision and, importantly, talk about that decision with their loved ones. You can find out more information here.

David added:

“Megan was just 17 when she passed away. She was amazing and was working towards becoming a nurse and was flying, basically.”

“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.

“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.”

Organ Donation Week: Have The Conversation!

• The transplant waiting list is at its highest ever level, with over 8,600 people currently waiting
• Family consent for organ donation has dropped by almost a fifth in the last five years. Families are likely to agree to donation 90% of the time when they knew what their loved one wanted. This drops to below 50% when they were unsure
• Nine people die every day waiting for a transplant
• We need a million people to confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register by the end of the year
• It takes two minutes to confirm your decision and can save up to nine lives
• Confirm your decision at organdonation.nhs.uk or via the NHS app

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