Save a life at this year’s Balmoral show

Around 200 people in Northern Ireland are on the transplant waiting list and sadly around 15 people die each year waiting for an organ. Despite support for organ donation being extremely high, more than two thirds of the population here are not on the organ donor register.

To help tackle this issue, the Public Health Agency (PHA) will be hosting an awareness stand packed full of information on organ donation at this year’s Balmoral show from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 May.

Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive of the PHA and Chair of the Northern Ireland Committee for Organ Donation and Transplantation, said: “We recently launched our ‘Speak up and save a life’ organ donation campaign and website aimed at raising awareness of the issue of organ donation in Northern Ireland. To date we have seen an increase in the population registering as a donor, however we must not become complacent, as we need more people to talk to their families and loved ones about their organ donation wishes if we are to save those who are still waiting for a suitable organ.”

Present at the stand will be a Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation, along with professionals from the PHA and representatives from various organ donation and transplantation charities to answer queries or concerns that all too often put people off registering as a donor. 

Dr Rooney continued: “With an average of 70,000 people attending the show each year, it offers an excellent platform to engage with a large and diverse audience, making them aware of the importance of organ donation.“We want to encourage people to talk about organ donation with family and close friends so they are aware of their wishes, to increase awareness of the organ donor register and how to sign up, and to increase the number of people in Northern Ireland on the organ donor register.

“Organ donation really is the gift of life. This is a vitally important issue which will affect many people’s lives. If you are attending the show please come along and find out more information.”