Segment 1 Opening credits. Two men jog around an athletics track; the narrator explains that they are both kidney recipients. An annual sports event for donor recipients is also seen. The communications system that coordinates the donation of kidneys, corneas, livers, pancreases and hearts is shown. At a New Year's party at a London hospital, a doctor chats to his ex-patients, all of whom successfully received transplants. The narrator discusses the organ waiting lists and how many transplants take place each year in the UK. Dr Parsons addresses the party, saying that organ donation is a gift that on the National Health Service is paid for by everyone. A kidney dialysis room in a hospital is seen; children lie on beds there for dialysis. A mother who has been bringing her son for the last 6 months is interviewed. He is currently on the waiting list. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:05:14:10 Length: 00:05:14:10
Segment 2 A student called Stephen Cope is introduced; he plays lead guitar in a band and also needs transplant surgery of a cornea, as he has lost almost all the vision in his left eye. He is seen studying at the London School of Economics and he talks about his condition and how it has affected him. The UK Transplant Office is seen. The narrator explains how the system between hospitals and the service works. He also discusses the ethical issues surrounding organ donation; making sure that the donor is completely brain dead first and also how doctors feel when the recipient patient benefits from the donor patient's death. A secure van is seen delivering kidneys. Time start: 00:05:14:10 Time end: 00:10:16:23 Length: 00:05:02:13
Segment 3 A BBC radio talk show discusses organ donations. A reporter and a donor recipient arrive at the studio by running there to prove how fit the recipient is after a successful donation. People telephone the show to talk about their experiences. Neil phones in; he is then seen at home with his family. He received a kidney transplant and his wife also needs one, having had three unsuccessful transplants. They talk about their situation and how the wife managed to conceive and have a healthy baby whilst on anti-rejection drugs. A mother and father talk about losing their son in a car accident and how they were quickly approached by a surgeon about donating his organs. Time start: 00:10:16:23 Time end: 00:17:20:19 Length: 00:07:03:21
Segment 4 The narrator explains that the son's kidneys were donated; one failed but the other was successful. The LSE student finds a cornea donor. He is admitted to hospital and has eye tests. The operation begins. His distorted cornea is removed and replaced by the donor cornea. Next, Guy's Hospital is seen. A kidney arrives and is tested for tissue type. The young boy seen in the dialysis ward earlier is the recipient; his mother describes receiving the phone call and rushing to hospital. The operation is successful. Time start: 00:17:20:19 Time end: 00:22:46:15 Length: 00:05:25:21
Segment 5 The LSE student talks about life with his new cornea; he is driving, which he could not do before the operation. The mother of the kidney-recipient talks about his recovery. The parents of the son who died in a car accident talk about why they donated their son's organs. The New Year's party is seen again and the narrator says that people should not be reluctant to consider organ donation as it means that death is not useless. Time start: 00:22:46:15 Time end: 00:26:32:13 Length: 00:03:45:23