Biker calls for more people to give blood after surviving crash

EVERYONE needs a little help from their friends, but in recent months, Euan Lynch has needed it more than most.

The 29-year-old was left fighting for his life after he crashed his motorbike on the last day of a holiday tour of the Highlands in September. After collapsing unconscious at the roadside, he has no recollection of the day of the accident – or any of the following six weeks.

Although he has made an astonishing recovery, he has had to rely on friends and family to piece together what happened during and after the accident.

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He was riding ahead of his friends at the time of the crash, and said: "I can't remember what happened . I don't know if it was oil on the road or a deer, or a sheep, nobody knows. I just slid on the road and the bike went into the grass. I then stood up at the point where a car came along and I took my helmet off, then collapsed."

He was taken to Caithness General Hospital and then by helicopter to intensive care in Aberdeen, and from there was airlifted to the Western General.

As Euan fought for his life, father Hugh rushed to his bedside from their home in North Berwick and mother Morag, who now lives in Australia, boarded a plane, not knowing what news might greet her when she disembarked. Euan said: "I'll probably never find out what they were told, but quite a few friends have told me that it was touch and go for me."

He underwent surgery to relieve bleeding in the brain, and what he knows of his treatment has been pieced together by talking to family and friends, he said: "I've asked them for some of the stories, but not all of the brutal ones because it makes me feel better to think about where I am now rather than where I was.

"When I was in Edinburgh, it would have been about the end of October, I started to remember things but quite vaguely. I was sent to the Astley Ainslie and my memory started coming back to me and I remembered having been in the Western, but nothing else. Six or seven weeks are a complete blank."

On 6 December, after three months in hospital, he returned home to North Berwick. Now he goes to the gym every day, and apart from forgetting words and names occasionally, has no major problems stemming from his brain injury.

He hopes to return to work as a pensions administrator once he has fully regained his strength, and, having received five pints of blood during brain surgery, is helping the Scottish Blood Service campaign for more donors.

He said: "It's a big massive thank-you to everyone who's helped in one way or another, and I'm very grateful to all the donors for helping to save my life," he said.

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Edinburgh Donor Services manager Vincent Moony said: "Euan is a great example of someone whose life has been saved and improved by blood donors and he has spoken of his deep gratitude to them. I would like to ask everyone to make a New Year resolution to give at least once in 2010 and help save and improve the lives of patients like Euan throughout Scotland."

To give blood call 0845 311 7270 or visit www.scotblood.co.uk

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