Almost 20 million people are on the organ donor register in the UK. Are you one of them?
Most of us would take an organ if we needed a transplant, so perhaps more of us should join the register as potential donors. What do you think? It’s easy to sign up online, and carry the card somewhere easy to find if the situation arises. You can even sign up by texting SAVE to 62323.
NHS Blood and Transplant, the body that oversees transplant registers, blood donation, and houses the UK’s blood and transplant experts, is based in Bristol, so maybe as neighbours we should try especially hard to help out!
Here at Bristol Uni there are a few students that we care for who have received organs, or blood, without which they might not have come to university. Similarly there will be those who are awaiting donors, or have not been able to come to study yet as they are too unwell.
Some interesting facts;
Last year, 4,212 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 2,313 donors; and 1,160 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lungs, liver/kidney or liver/pancreas transplant.
However, more than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant, and sadly, of these, 1,000 will die each year (3 a day) because of a lack of organs.
All the major religions of the UK support the principles of organ donation and transplantation
People from South Asian, African and Afro-Caribbean communities living in the UK are more likely to need a kidney transplant than the rest of the population. Unfortunately donation rates are relatively low among black and South Asian communities, thus reducing the chance of a successful match being found.
There is no upper age limit for becoming a donor.
So if you think you would like to help save up to 9 lives, or make just one better, have a look at http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
Sign up, let your family know, and pass it on!
If you are interested in giving blood look at www.blood.co.uk
Regular blood donor sessions are held in Bristol throughout the year.