More than a thousand lives saved in the North East thanks to organ donors

More than 1500 people are still alive in the North East and Teesside, thanks to organ donation.

The NHS revealed the figures, which show 942 patients’ lives were saved by donations in Tyne and Wear, while there were 947 in North Yorkshire and Teesside.

They also revealed the number of people signed up to the donor register here has risen by almost 30% but they still desperately need people willing to donate tissue and their organs after they die.

Phil Simpson, from Durham, received a bone marrow transplant at Newcastle’s Great Northern Children’s hospital when he was 15.

“I hadn’t had a lot of normality up until the age of 15, I’d done things like play football with friends, but I just thought this is a new chapter to make a new life and look forward to the future.

“Before I had the transplant, you were always worried about contracting infections, I had a very poorly stomach which restricted going places.

“I can remember the day, I was in the ward, three months after I’d had the transplant – I remember the professor came to my bedroom and said – You’re cured.”

One of the organisations which helped Phil was the Bubble Foundation – you can find out more about them here.

More people are alive thanks to transplants because of improving survival rates and increased public commitment to donation. In North Yorkshire, the number of people on the Organ Donor Register has increased by 27% over the past five years. There are now 458,961 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in North Yorkshire, compared to 362,791 five years ago.

This includes:

• 62,173 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Stockton, compared to 49,428 five years ago.

• 44,404 people on the register in Middlesborough, compared to 35,697 five years ago.

• 46,213 people on the register in Redcar and Cleveland, compared to 36,522 five years ago.

Meanwhile, there are now 384,384 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Tyne and Wear, compared to 300,744 five years ago.

This includes:

• 69,155 people on the register in Gateshead, compared to 53,946 five years ago.

• 107,288 people on the register in Newcastle, compared to 86,083 five years ago.

• 77,336 people on the register in North Tyneside, compared to 59,254 five years ago.

• 48,500 people on the register in South Tyneside, compared to 37,003 five years ago.

• 85,863 people on the register in Sunderland, compared to 67303 five years ago.

Anyone can sign up as a donor on the NHS Organ Donor Register. How old you are or any existing medical conditions shouldn’t stop you from signing up. You could save or transform up to nine people’s lives by donating your organs when you die and help even more by donating tissue.

Nationally, the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register reached a record number, 23.6 million. Today 36% of the UK’s population is on the NHS Organ Donor Register, compared to 30% five years ago.

The public support for donation also means more people in Tyne and Wear are receiving lifesaving and life enhancing transplants. Last year 90 people in Tyne and Wear had transplants, compared to 70 five years ago.

Despite the record breaking public commitment to donation, there is still a shortage of organ donors. Nationally, three people still die a day in need of a transplant. There are still around 6,400 people currently waiting for a transplant. This is a particular need for people to register from black and Asian backgrounds. People from the same ethnic background are more likely to be a match but there are not enough black and Asian donors.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “More people than ever in Tyne and Wear are committing to organ donation and that is saving more lives than ever. It’s amazing to picture all the people now alive today thanks to organ donation and think of all the families and children who have grown up thanks to donors.

“We’re seeing more and more people committing to donation and the good results of our close work with hospitals. Our specialist nurses in organ donation are now almost always involved in discussions with families over organ donation.

“However there is still a long way to go. Around three people still die a day in need of a transplant. Every one of those people who died could be a mother or a father, a daughter or a son, who might be alive today.

“Families tell us donation is a source of pride that helps them in their grieving process. We don’t want anyone in Tyne and Wear to miss the opportunity to save lives through organ donation. Please join the NHS Organ Donor Register. It only takes two minutes.”

Sign up to the organ donor register here; www.organdonation.nhs.uk