Wanted: organ donations
The NHS has set itself an ambitious target of signing up one million new organ donors by the end of the year.
It follows news that people who have registered to donate their organs after death have dropped by a fifth in the past five years.
The 'One in a Million' campaign is looking to increase the number of registered organ donors from 29 million to 30 million by the end of the year.
Kim O'Connell, the trust's organ donation nurse, said a lot of people mistakenly assume they aren't suitable to be organ and tissue donors.
“We currently have over 8,500 people on the UK transplant waiting list with an average of 3,600 donors a year. Specialist nurses will screen a patients suitability for what they can potentially donate. But most people can become organ donors, up until the age of 85.”
Kim is quick to reassure people that signing up to be an organ donor doesn't negate a careful step-by-step process that still requires loved ones to consent when a patient is in end-of-life care.
“My job is to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the process and, only after that, do we involve a specialist organ retrieval team. Organ donation has got to be one of the greatest gifts you can give someone in life.”
Organ Donation Week is from September 21-27.
Two minutes now can save up to nine lives. If you would like to sign up, see www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision