New Campaign To Encourage Organ Donation, UK

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 19 May 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Diabetes UK Cymru is supporting a campaign to encourage more people to register to donate their organs in Wales.

During the last five years more than 750 lives have been transformed by a transplant, but more than 150 people have died before a donor could be found.

The campaign, which will run until September, is aimed at getting people to talk about what they want to happen to their organs when they die. It will also tackle some of the misconceptions surrounding organ donation, such as there being no age limit to register or restrictions because of sexuality.

Other charities taking part in the campaign include the Kidney Wales Foundation, British Heart Foundation and the British Liver Trust.

Islet transplantation

Islet transplantation is a procedure that can benefit some people with Type 1 diabetes. It is when an individual's destroyed islet cells are replaced using cells harvested from donor pancreases.

"Transplant treatments have been shown to be effective for a number of people with diabetes, who are struggling to manage their condition", said Andrew Misell, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at Diabetes UK.

"Diabetes UK would encourage everyone who can to register as an organ donor, and to let their relatives know."

Around 470 people in Wales are waiting for an organ transplant now and 789,000 people are on the organ donor list.

Diabetes UK