‘Spell it out’ during Transplant Awareness Week
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone in Northern Ireland to “spell it out” when it comes to their organ donation wishes by telling their family and friends that they want to be a donor and by signing the NHS Organ Donor Register.
The call coincides with National Transplant Awareness Week, which runs from 7-13 July.
Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive of the PHA and Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee for Organ Donation, said: “There have been great improvements in donation over recent years in Northern Ireland. In 2013/14 we had a record number of live kidney donations and associated transplants (53 in 12/13 to 61 in 13/14) and an increase in deceased donations (40 in 12/13 to 46 in 13/14).
“The health service will continue to work hard to improve rates of donation but can only do so with the commitment and generosity of the people of Northern Ireland.
“Despite support for organ donation being extremely high here, not enough people are aware of the organ donor register and as a result the number of people who have signed it is quite low at just 32% of the population. Most importantly, we need everyone to discuss their wishes with their loved ones – only 38% of people in Northern Ireland said that they have done this.
“We need to change these figures – there are still around 160 people waiting for a transplant and around 15 people die in Northern Ireland each year whilst waiting on one. Many people don't realise that by not making their donation wishes clear their loved ones will have to make a decision as to whether or not donation should go ahead without prior knowledge of what their loved one wanted. Nobody wants to leave their family with such a burden so we want to encourage everyone to make it clear and spell it out.
“If you want to be an organ donor, join the register and tell your family and friends as soon as possible because we know that families are much more likely to agree to donation going ahead if they know it is what their loved one wanted.
“If you have signed the register, you can also help us to spread the message on Twitter and Facebook by using the hashtag #spellitout to encourage others to do the same.”
Eddie concluded: “I have signed the organ donor register and told my loved ones my wishes. I hope everyone in Northern Ireland will join me by signing up themselves and spelling out their wishes to their friends and family.”
If you haven’t already signed the register or would like more information, please take the time to visit www.organdonationni.info which is packed full of information and resources.