Buckinghamshire families urged to talk about organ donation

People across Buckinghamshire are being urged to speak with their families about organ donation as part of the Leave Them Certain campaign.

A change in law last year means adults in England are all seen as willing to donate their organs, unless they opt out or are in one of the excluded groups.

Despite the new legislation, families will always be approached before any donation goes ahead, so it's important to know what loved ones want.

There are currently 349,816 people in Buckinghamshire that are on the NHS Organ Donor Register, with 20 people becoming donors in the last year.

Clair Burbridge, specialist nurse in organ donation, said: "We know it's not easy to think and talk about what you may want at the end of your life, but it's so important for your family to be able to reassure them that they make the right decision for you.

"Nine in 10 families would support someone's organ donation decision if they know what that decision is. That figure drops to slightly over 50% where a family doesn't know what that person wanted."

A TV advert has been launched as part of the campaign featuring the Kakkad family, Shivum's father Bharat died from a cardiac arrest when he was 63 in May 2019, but the family had never spoken about organ donation.

Shivum and his family agreed to organ donation after his death, but it was a decision that could have been made easier if they'd had the conversation.

Shivum said: "My father was a very giving person. He did charity work and was a strong believer in the Hindu act of Sewa, of service to God. When the specialist nurse approached us about organ donation, we made our decision.

"We knew that helping others in need was what my father would have wanted. But I wish we had spoken about it to know for certain and I would urge others to take the opportunity while they still can."

You can find out more about organ donation and how to discuss your decision via the NHS website.

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