Families on Yorkshire Coast urged to talk about organ donation
NHS Blood and Transplant says these conversations are still vital
During Organ Donation Week, NHS Blood and Transplant is urging people on the Yorkshire Coast to talk to their families about organ donation.
Only 52 people in North Yorkshire managed to have an organ transplant last year and around 120 are still on the waiting list this year.
For the East Riding around 37 people are waiting for a transplant with only 14 actually getting a new organ last year.
After a most challenging year for the NHS and people across the world, waiting lists for organs including kidney, heart, liver, lungs, are expected to rise and NHS Blood and Transplant is calling for more families to talk and share their organ donation decision to increase the chances of the many children, young people and adults in need of their own life-saving call.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation, at NHS Blood and Transplant, says:
“Every day across the UK there are thousands of patients and their families, waiting for that all important life-saving call. Yet, this is often only possible as a result of another family receiving some of the hardest news they might ever have to hear.
“Even though the law around organ donation has changed to an opt out system for adults in England, Scotland and Wales, it is important that people are aware that families will still always be consulted before organ donation goes ahead.
“It is just as important as ever to make your organ donation decision known to your family and friends and leave them certain of what you what to happen in the event of your death.
“We urge all family members of all ages in the East Region to take a moment this Organ Donation Week to talk and share your decision.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
“Waiting for an organ match can be a challenging and isolating experience, and I want to applaud Harmonies of Hope for their bravery in sharing such powerful accounts of lifesaving transplants.
“It’s vital we do all we can to ensure no child feels invisible as they wait for a match, particularly those families in underrepresented, ethnic minority communities where donation rates are not high.
“This can change and I am urging families up and down the country to have honest and frank conversations this week about organ donations. It’s a decision that could save someone’s life.”
For more information, or to register your organ donation decision, please visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. NHS app users can also use the service to record, check or update their organ donation decision.