Parents of Halifax boy who saved six lives through organ donation support 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 who “did everything they could,” 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.

Just days before his death, Lewis had told his mother he wanted to be put on the organ donation register while applying for a replacement driving licence.

Tracy explained the donation process following Lewis’ tragic death.

She said: “The consultant and nurses were emotional while informing us Lewis’ condition was very serious and I don’t really think I can remember much of the conversation after that.

“They took him for a scan and when they brought him back, they took us back into the relatives room and told us that the swelling of his brain was so bad that there was nothing they could do… we’d lost him.

“At the time we didn’t realise that one of the nurses in the room was a transplant co-ordinator, but we initiated the conversation about donation as we knew it would be what Lewis would want.

“It would also give us some comfort that this horrible disease hadn’t just taken our beautiful boy for no reason.”

Tracy said Lewis had helped six people and their families to hopefully “not have to go through the loss” they suffer “every day”.