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Parents donate son's organs for vital transplants

Esther Leach
Monday 08 September 1997 23:02 BST
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The organs of an eight-year-old boy who died after a brain haemorrhage are being given to at least five other people so they may live or improve the quality of their lives. Aaron Bennett's liver has gone to a three- year-old girl, one of his kidneys to a 10-year-old girl and the other to a woman. His heart valves are also being used as are the corneas from his eyes.

Aaron's parents, from Wilsden, West Yorkshire, made the decision to donate his organs as they kept a bedside vigil at Leeds General Infirmary. Aaron was taken ill 12 days ago when he complained of a headache. Scans revealed burst blood vessels in his brain. His mother, Angela, said she and her husband Andrew decided immediately to donate his organs She added: "We were aware of how other parents with poorly children would be feeling. We wanted to give someone else a chance from our loss."

The transplant co-ordinator in Leeds, Steve Bell, said he could not comment on individual cases but added that child deaths in these circumstances were rare and the opportunities for donating child organs were precious.

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