Have you registered your wishes? NHS Organ Donation Register saves lives

This Organ Donation Week (23 – 29 September), NHS Blood and Transplant and Isle of Wight NHS Trust is encouraging people to think about organ donation and register their wishes. 

Over the past 30 years, thousands of lives have been saved thanks to people agreeing to donate their organs after death by confirming their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register however more people than ever before are in need of a life-saving transplant across the UK.

Rachel Clare, Specialist Nurse – Organ Donation at St Mary’s Hospital, said: “Confirming your decision to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register makes it clear to your family that you want to be an organ donor, leaving them certain of your decision at what is a difficult and emotional time. With more than 7,600 people on the active waiting list, including 13 on the Isle of Wight, it’s vital that people confirm their organ donation decision to help save more lives.”

67,000 on the Isle of Wight have already declared their decision through the NHS Organ Donor Register, which is the best way for their family to know what they want. 9 out of 10 families will support organ donation if their loved one has confirmed their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

With the law changing around organ donation, it is important to remember that it is assumed that when someone dies in circumstances where they could be a donor, that they agree to donate if they haven’t officially opted out. However, no-one is automatically added to the Organ Donor Register. You still need to confirm your decision and your family will be consulted before donation goes ahead.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said:

“Thanks to the support of Isle of Wight NHS Trust during Organ Donation Week, we can get the message across to more people that organ donation saves lives.

“Every day across the UK thousands of patients and their families are waiting for a life-saving call. But this can often only happen as a result of another family receiving very difficult news and supporting organ donation to help others.

“Thanks to the Cox family’s relentless campaigning the NHS Organ Donor Register has potentially saved the lives of thousands of people. This is an incredible legacy for Peter, and we are so very grateful to the whole Cox family for their tireless work over the years which made this possible.

“With more people, both adults and children, waiting for transplants, it’s more important than ever to confirm your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. We urge everyone to take a moment this Organ Donation Week to register and confirm your decision.”