Spotlight on... talking about organ donation
This week (4 – 10 September) marks organ donation week, and here at Barts Health we are supporting the nationwide campaign to appeal to families to have a lifesaving talk.
Last year The Royal London delivered around 130 kidney transplants, however hundreds of transplants are being missed around the country every year because families don’t know what their relative wanted.
This year’s campaign encourages people to talk about organ donation with their relatives and friends. This way, if you are ever able to be an organ donor your family won’t be left with making a difficult decision without knowing what you wanted.
NHS Blood and Transplant surveys show more than 80% of people support organ donation but only around 49% of people have ever talked about it.
Hayley Heanes, organ donation specialist nurse said: “We’re proud to support this lifesaving appeal and it’s really easy for everyone to take part – just have a chat.
“That chat might be the next time you sit down for a meal, when you are shopping or working, or when you are just driving in the car. If you want to be a donor, your family’s support is still needed for donation to go ahead, even if you are on the NHS Organ Donor Register.”
Families who agree to donate say it helps with their grief and that they feel enormous sense of pride at knowing their relative gave others the chance of a new beginning. Anthony Clarkson, Assistant Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation, NHS Blood and Transplant said:
“This Organ Donation Week, tell your family you want to save lives. A few words now can make an extraordinary difference. It will also make things much easier for your family to make the right decision.”
“If you are unsure about donation, please ask yourselves as a family; what would you do if one of you needed a transplant? Would you accept a life-saving organ? If you’d take an organ, shouldn’t you be prepared to donate?”
There is a particular need for more black and Asian people to talk about donation. Patients from these communities make up 29% of the national transplant waiting list but they are less likely to agree to donate.
Organs from people from the same ethnic background are more likely to be a close match and give the best chance of a positive outcome. While most people support organ donation, many people don’t realise that their family’s support is needed for organ donation to go ahead. If you want to save lives, a few words can make an extraordinary difference.
How can I get involved?
Visit our organ donation specialist nurses at The Royal London Hospital on 5 September from 12 – 4pm. Here, they will be handing out organ donation information and registration forms, and also answers any questions you may have.
To keep up-to-date on the latest organ donation news and developments, visit the Organ donation Facebook page or follow Organ donation on twitter @NHSOrganDonor.