Youngest Police Scotland officer Cyprian Kromiszewski died aged 23; his organs saved five people across the UK

# What happened

After his death his family agreed to organ donation. Five of his organs were used in transplants across the UK: his liver, pancreas, heart and both kidneys.

# Family response and why this mattered

Cyprian's mum, Marzanna Swierczewska, said the family had discussed his wishes years earlier when he completed paperwork for his Police Scotland application. She told reporters she had no doubt he would want to help others.

The family were supported through the process by a specialist team at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. They say knowing his organs saved lives brought some meaning to an otherwise devastating loss and they hope his story encourages families to discuss organ donation ahead of time.

# Medical and public-health context

Professor John Casey, a transplant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, pointed to organ donors like Cyprian as the reason thousands of lives are saved or improved each year. Anthony Clarkson, director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, warned the UK is facing one of the most challenging periods for organ donation in over a decade because donor numbers have declined while the waiting list grows. He called for urgent action.

As part of the national messaging around Organ and Tissue Donation Week, health officials urged people to sign the NHS Organ Donor Register. The article reports a simple call to action: registering takes around two minutes, and each donor can potentially save up to nine lives.

# Practical implications and next steps for readers

• If you want your wishes to be followed, discuss organ donation with family or next of kin. Cyprian's family say those conversations made decision-making easier at a difficult time.

• People in Scotland aged 16 and over can choose to be an organ and tissue donor or to opt out. The NHS Organ Donor Register records an individual's decision and helps families know what a loved one wanted.

• Health services recommend confirming your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register so families are certain of your choice.

# Why this story matters locally

Cyprian's story combines a local human interest element—his early start in Police Scotland and roots in Fauldhouse—with a practical public-health message about organ donation. The family and medical staff are using the example to prompt conversations and registrations that directly affect the supply of donor organs and the people waiting for transplants.