'Register and pass it on' for National Transplant Week
As part of National Transplant Week, Derriford Hospital's transplant team will be handing out 2,000 bracelets today (Saturday 13 July) at Frankfort Gate, Plymouth with the aim of creating a viral message to encourage people to proactively sign the organ donor register.
Led by former transplant patients and staff from the South West Transplant Centre, based at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, the ‘Register and Pass it on’ initiative is very simple.
Wearing the bracelets will act as a reminder for eligible members of the public to consider if they wish to sign the register as a potential donor. Once they have registered, or if they choose not then they are asked to ‘pass it on’ to a colleague, friend or family member to consider.
Only 25% of the UK population (14 million people) have currently signed the organ donor register but it is estimated that 90% of the population support the principle of organ donation.
The UK has one of the lowest rates of donation (13 donors per million) compared to other European countries such as Spain (35 million donors per million).
Linda Boorer, Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist explains: “At the first meeting to brainstorm ideas I was met by a group of vibrant and enthusiastic individuals who had undergone various different transplants and who are all committed to raising awareness of organ donation to help other patients who are now in need of a transplant.
“Their initiative was to develop a band to prompt people to consider registering as an organ donor and then passing it on to another person to help ‘pass on’ the message and to increase the number of people who register as an organ donor.
“Through sheer determination we have raised funding for the purchase of the bands and I am extremely proud of the hard work and commitment of the group.
“Former transplant patients will be in Plymouth on Saturday to share their experiences and to help pass on the message about the importance of being an organ donor and the difference it can make to someone else.
Dr Austin Hunt, Consultant Nephrologist, South West Transplant Centre explains: “We hope that the ‘pass it on bracelets’ will act as a trigger to make many more people think about becoming donors and signing on to the organ donor register.
“Most people would be happy to accept an organ for themselves or their family should the need arise in a life or death situation, and it is exactly this group that we hope will be adding their names to the register.
“Of course people don’t like to contemplate their own mortality, the man on the street is as likely to sign on the donor register as he is to phone the local funeral directors to negotiate himself a good deal. I understand that, but we hope that while wearing one of these bracelets people will think about their significance and make a decision; either that they do or don’t wish to be on the organ donor register.
“The website for registering is on the bracelet and it takes about 90 seconds to add your name before you ‘pass it on’.”
To join the NHS Organ Donor Register call 0300 123 23 23 or text DONATE to 62323 or visit http://www.transplantweek.co.uk and #passiton
