2 in 3 Brits demand a change in organ donor law
Doc survey backs our bid to end transplant wait hell
TWO-THIRDS of people agree with the Daily Mirror’s calls to revolutionise organ donor laws – and bring hope to thousands waiting for lifesaving ops.
A major study out this week by the British Medical Association backs our Change the Law for Life campaign, calling for a system which assumes everyone agrees to donate organs after their death.
The survey reveals that, while 65% of those polled in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are “willing” to donate some or all organs after death, only 39% signed the NHS Organ Donor register.
So organs of 26% of those willing to donate will not be available.
Dr John Chisholm, chair of the BMA’s ethics committee, said: “Vital opportunities to save people’s lives are being missed.
“These figures show a large number of people who wish to donate organs are not signing up to the register.
“As a doctor, it is difficult to see patients dying and suffering when their lives could be saved by a transplant.”
Today people needing an organ must rely on someone opting in, by carrying an organ donor card.
Wales successfully made the change to opt out a year ago, with a simple process to inform medics if they don’t wish to donate.
Dr Chisholm added: “Since soft Opt Out was adopted in Wales, 160 organs have been transplanted, almost a quarter of which were down to the new system.”
Backing our campaign, mum-of-three Sonia Alves – who has been waiting for a kidney for two years – said: “I feel really passionately about changing the law to Opt Out because it would mean more potential donors and ultimately I could get my life back.”
Sonia, 37, of Bournemouth, has had kidney failure since she was 14.
“My health has really deteriorated in past two years,” she said.
STRUGGLE
“I’m really struggling. It’s having a huge impact on my mental health and I constantly worry that I won’t ever find a donor.”
Across the UK there are around 6,500 people, including 150 kids, living in limbo, waiting for a call that will change their lives. Three people a day die waiting for an op.
Backing our campaign, Labour MP Paul Flynn presented a private Organ Donation Bill in the Commons. It is scheduled for its second reading on March 24.
Dr Chisholm added: “If we have an opportunity to address the chronic shortage of organs and save the lives of patients across the UK, surely we should be taking it.”
Sign our petition at mirror.co. uk/donor. Join the donation register at www.organdonation.nhs.uk