Calling A New Generation Of Lifesavers, UK

Main Category: Transplants / Organ Donations
Article Date: 11 Sep 2009 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

As universities across the country welcome their first-year students, the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) team is donning its swimwear to find a new generation of lifesavers!

NHSBT's 'Baywatch' themed roadshow is visiting 19 freshers' fairs across the country to encourage students arriving at university for the first time to become a ' lifesaver for life' by signing up to be donors of blood and organs.

At the NHSBT stand, which will include a beach backdrop and lifeguards, students will be able to find out more about donating blood and signing up to help save a life after their death by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR).

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is dedicated to saving and improving people's lives through organ, tissue, blood and bone marrow donation. There are more than 10,000 people in the UK currently in need of an organ transplant. At present, only four per cent of the population in England and north Wales who can give blood do so, and 7,000 donations are needed each day to supply hospitals.

Lynda Hamlyn, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "We know that young people are very committed to helping other people less fortunate than themselves and are great supporters of donation. Freshers' week is a time when many are already making big decisions about their life and their future. We want every student starting university to think seriously about joining the Organ Donor Register and becoming a regular blood donor -as part of the important decisions they will make this year about who they are and what sort of a society they want to live in - and take that step towards becoming a lifesaver."

Jack Davidson, 20, a pharmacy student at Keele University is currently undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Jack has received around 30 units of blood and five units of platelets. Ironically, his illness was discovered during an appointment to give blood at his local donor centre, something he had committed to doing from the age of 17. He said: "My treatment is underway and I'm sure I'll require more lifesaving blood transfusions. By making the commitment to give blood on a regular basis, students make treatment such as mine possible."

Gemma Pickett, 25, from Grimsby had a kidney transplant at the age of seven and recently graduated in nursing at Edge Hill, Lancashire. Gemma, who is about to get married, said: "Without the help of my donor I would not be here today and achieved what I have. I will be forever grateful."

Whilst 90% of people say they support organ donation, just 27% have joined the NHS Organ Donor Register. To meet the growing need for organs, 6998 people alone are waiting for a kidney transplant, more people need sign up as organ donors.

There is a particular need for people from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds to consider becoming a donor. Almost 23% of those waiting for an organ transplant are from BME backgrounds and yet people from these communities account for fewer than 7% of potential donors. Of the overall blood donor database, just 3% are from BME communities. The lifesaver roadshow hopes to encourage more students of BME backgrounds to join the ODR and sign up to give blood.

Students don't have to be muscle bound lifeguards to be a lifesaver. Instead it takes another kind of commitment - the ability and commitment to sign up to be donors of blood and organs, helping others to live.

NHSBT's Donor Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0300 123 23 23. It can be used to make an appointment to give blood and to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Notes

-- The NHSBT team will visit the following university Freshers' Fairs:

- Liverpool John Moores: Monday 14 September
- Wolverhampton University : Tuesday 15 September
- Gloucestershire University : Thursday 17 September
- Leeds University : Monday 21 September
- University of Birmingham : Monday 21 September
- University of Nottingham : Tuesday 22 September
- Manchester Metropolitan University : Wednesday 23 September
- University of Newcastle : Thursday 24 September
- Sheffield Hallam University : Friday 25 September
- Hull University : Sunday 27 September
- University of Leicester : Monday 28 September
- Coventry University : Monday 28 September
- De Montfort University: Tuesday 29 September
- University of Sheffield : Wednesday 30 September
- University of Bristol : Thursday 01 October
- Lancaster University : Friday 02 October
- Southampton University : Friday 02 October
- Exeter University : Sunday 04 October
- Imperial College London: Tuesday 06 October

-- NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a Special Health Authority in the NHS. It is the organ donor organisation for the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs. Its remit also includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS.

-- The NHS Organ Donor Register is a confidential database used to identify those who have indicated that they wish to donate organs and/or tissue after their death for the purpose of transplantation. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is consulted after someone has died by authorised NHS staff in order to establish a person's wishes about donation.

-- In 2008/09, 3,513 organ transplants were carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of 1,854 deceased and living donors - the highest on record.

-- One donor can help up to eight different people and many more can be helped through the donation of the same person's tissues. There are 23 organs in the human body. You can donate kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel. You can also donate the following tissues: corneas, skin, bone, tendons, and cartilage and heart valves.

-- Last year the National Blood Service collected 1.9 million donations from its base of 1.4 million donors.

-- The NHS needs 7,000 units of blood daily to supply hospitals across England and North Wales. Currently, only 4% of the eligible population are active blood donors.

Source
NHS Blood and Transplant

• Additional
• References
• Citations