Urgent appeal for Cheshire families to talk about organ donation

During Organ Donation Week, September 7 to 13, NHS Blood and Transplant are urging people to talk to their families about organ donation to increase the number of people whose lives can be saved or transformed by an organ transplant.

Last year, 42 people in Cheshire had their lives saved by a transplant. If more people agreed to donate, more lives would be saved in Cheshire and around the country. Currently, many in Cheshire are still waiting for that life-saving call.

On the 20^th May this year, the law around organ donation in England changed to an ‘opt out’ system. This means that it will be considered that you would be willing to donate your organs, unless you have opted out, are in one of the excluded groups or have told your family you do not want to donate.

It is important that people know that you still have a choice and family members will still be consulted before organ donation goes ahead. Families are more likely to support your organ donation decision, when they already know what you want to happen.

Following the change in law, NHS Blood and Transplant is urging families across England to talk about their organ donation decision. Knowing what your relatives want, helps you support their decision at a difficult time.

More and more families in Cheshire are saying yes to organ donation but there is still an urgent shortage of donors. NHS Blood and Transplant is asking people in Cheshire to tell their families they want to donate to help make sure more lives are saved.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We need more people in Cheshire to talk about organ donation to increase the number of lifesaving transplants.

“Even now the law has changed, families will still be approached before organ donation goes ahead. So it remains so important to talk to your families and make sure they know what you want to happen.

“Register your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell your family the choice you have made. If the time comes, we know families find the organ donation conversation with nurses or medical teams much easier if they already know what their relative wanted.”

Find out more and register your decision by visiting NHS Organ Donor Register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and share your decision with your family.

• NHS Blood and Transplant is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. We provide the blood donation service for England and the organ donation service for the UK. We also provide donated tissues, stem cells and cord blood. We are an essential part of the NHS, saving and improving lives through public donation.
• It is quick and easy to join the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk    
• Families are always involved in organ donation discussions. You can make things easier for your family by telling them you want to donate.
• Anyone can join the NHS Organ Donor Register, age and medical conditions are not necessarily a barrier to donation.
• One donor can save or transform up to nine lives through organ donation and save and transforms even more by donating tissue.