Dan Harrison tragically died in a car accident in December 2007, at 17 years of age. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital. He subsequently became a non heart beating donor, one of approximately 200 annually.

A recurring comment from family and friends after Dan’s untimely death was that he ‘lived life to the full’. He was a keen rugby player, and had been hoping to continue his studies in Russian and French at university, with dreams of traveling and living abroad.

Dan’s parents Steve and Amanda received a telephone call late on the day of the accident from the Bereavement and Donor Co-ordinator at the hospital, raising the issue of organ donation. Following an awareness session at school, and a discussion at home, unbeknown to his parents, Dan had chosen to add his name to the register when he applied for his provisional driving license.

Dan’s family have since been told that as a result of this decision as many as 40 people would be able to benefit from his organs and tissue, and this despite none of his major organs being able to be used intact, due to internal damage caused by the impact of the crash. Among them, his corneas were given to two young male adults, giving them the precious gift of sight in time for Christmas. The whites of his eyes prevented a 3 year old girl having to have a glass eye, his heart valves were given to two other people, the tendons from his ankles were retrieved, and a large section of his skin was taken to be cultivated for use in skin grafts for burns victims.

For Dan’s family, critical to the whole experience of organ donation has been the empathy and professionalism of the hospital staff, especially the Bereavement and Donor Co-ordinator. Although time was of the essence, arrangements were made for Dan’s parents and younger sister Emma to say their goodbyes, prior to the retrieval procedures commencing. At no time did they feel they were being rushed, and throughout a very dignified process they feel they were treated with the utmost care and respect.

Dan’s family hope that the fact that he, and others like him, are able to help so many people, might encourage others to look beyond tragedies like this and see the positives that can happen. As Dan’s and other people’s stories show, it can make a very real and dramatic difference and change lives.

Dan loved life. The fact that he has been able to improve so many others’ lives by his decision to join the NHS Organ Donor Register would have made him very proud, and has brought much comfort to his family.

By choosing to be a donor you give give others the choice of life.