People in Hertfordshire encouraged to register their decision to give the Gift of Life this Organ Donation Week
Posted: 28 September 2022
This Organ Donation Week (26 September to 2 October) NHS Blood and Transplant and West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust are calling on people to register their donation decision and talk to their families about organ donation. More than 6,500 people are actively waiting for a transplant across the UK and in Hertfordshire alone, nearly 70 people are waiting for a kidney transplant.
Around 530,000 people in Hertfordshire have already declared their decision
through the NHS Organ Donor Register. However, people need to tell their family
so they support their decision if they are approached about organ donation by a
specialist nurse in hospital. When a family are approached, nine out of 10
families will agree to donation if they know their family member was on the
Organ Donor Register and talked about their decision.
Even though the law around organ donation has now changed across England,
Scotland and Wales, family members will still always be consulted before organ
donation goes ahead. This means it is still just as important as ever to
register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and ensure your friends
and family know what you want.
Becky Gorf, specialist organ donation nurse embedded at Watford General
Hospital, said: “Knowing what your relative wanted helps families support their
decision around organ donation at what is often a difficult time.
“We need more people in Hertfordshire to register their decision and talk with
their loved ones about organ donation to give them the certainty they need to
support their organ donation decision.”
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for
NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We are very grateful to West Herts Teaching
Hospitals NHS Trust for its support during Organ Donation Week.
“Every day across the UK there are thousands of patients and their families
waiting for that all important life-saving call. Yet, this is often only
possible as a result of another family receiving some of the hardest news they
might ever have to hear.
“With the increase in the number of people waiting for transplants, it’s more
important than ever to register your organ donation decision and make it known
to your family and friends.
“We urge all family members of all ages to take a moment this Organ Donation
Week to register and share your decision.”
St Albans Cathedral is supporting Organ Donation Week by lighting up pink every
night to raise awareness for the campaign. NHS Blood and Transplant are also
encouraging people to walk, run or cycle in heart shaped routes and share them
on social media to show their support for organ donation.
To find out more and register your decision, visit the NHS Organ Donor Register
at www.organdonation.nhs.uk and
share your decision with your family. Users of the NHS app, can also use this to
record, check or amend their details or decision.
- Upload maps of your heart-shaped walk, run or cycle to social media and tag @NHSOrganDonor and use the hashtag #OrganDonationWeek to kickstart important conversations about registering a decision to give the gift of life.
- For more information, please contact the communications team on: 01923 436280 or email: westherts.communications@nhs.net. For out of hours media enquiries please call the Watford General Hospital switchboard on 01923 244366 and ask for the on call communications manager.
- West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves people from across Hertfordshire, north London and further afield. It operates from three hospitals; Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead. The trust has a catchment area of over 500,000 people and is one of the largest employers locally, with around 5,000 staff and volunteers.
- For more information about our hospitals, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk. You can also join our followers on Twitter (twitter.com/westhertsNHS) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/westhertsNHS).
