Teenager's organ donation saves five lives after her death

A teenager who hoped to become a nurse helped save five lives by donating her organs after her death.

Megan Hilton, from Liverpool, was 17 when she died after suffering a brain aneurysm in July 2025.

She had joined the NHS Organ Donor Register and spoken to her family about her wishes, which her father said meant they "knew exactly what Megan wanted" when they were told she would not survive. In total, she donated six of her organs.

The family said they wanted to share her story during Organ Donation Week to encourage other people to sign up and help save lives.

Megan was studying Health and Social Care at Hugh Baird College and hoped to become a children's nurse.

She volunteered at Liverpool Women's Hospital and completed work placements at Aintree University Hospital, where she developed an interest in neonatal and paediatric nursing.

Her father, David Hilton, said: "Megan was always thinking about other people. She wanted to help wherever she could and she was determined that, if anything happened to her, she wanted to be an organ donor."

He said discussing her wishes helped the family when they were told she was not going to survive.

"Having that conversation to fall back on made an impossible situation just a little bit easier," he said.

"We knew exactly what Megan wanted.

"By donating her organs, Megan saved five lives. She never got the chance to become a nurse, but she still helped people in the most extraordinary way."

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has warned of a "sharp" decline in organ donation, with deceased donation rates 9% lower than at the same point last year.

It said 8,700 people were waiting for a transplant and had launched an "urgent response plan" after family consent rates fell from 67% in 2020-21 to 57% last year.

Laura Winn-Jones, a specialist organ donation nurse, said Megan's story showed "the incredible difference one person can make" and encouraged people to talk to their families about their organ donation decisions.

Organ Donation Week runs from 21 to 27 September.

University Hospitals of Liverpool Group said buildings across its hospitals would be illuminated pink during the week to raise awareness of organ donation and honour donors and their families.

Megan's family hopes sharing her story will encourage more people to make their organ donation wishes known and discuss them with their loved ones.

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