Organ donation: the gift of life

Today there are over 9,000 (28th March 2008) people in the UK are waiting for an organ transplant that would save or dramatically improve their life. Most are waiting for a kidney, others for a heart, lung or liver transplant. But less than 3,000 transplants are carried out each year.

Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine. But they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving gift to others.

There is a desperate need for more donors. In the last year nearly 400 people in the UK died while waiting for a transplant. One in ten people waiting for a heart transplant will die and many others will lose their lives before they even get on to the waiting list.

The more people who pledge to donate their organs after their death, the more people stand to benefit.

 By  joining the NHS Organ Donor Register you can help make sure life goes on.

If you've not signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, please do so by clicking on the donor card above  ,

 or by calling the NHS Organ Donor Line:

When you register  please remember to tell your family your wishes

                                                                       0845 60 60 400

If you live in the USA

There are 98,864 (as of the 2nd June 2008) people waiting for a transplant in the U S A.

Each day, about 74 people receive organ transplants. However, 19 people die each day waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.

To  find out more about how to be organ donor click on the web site below

www.organdonor.gov

When you register wherever you live please remember to tell your family your wishes as they will be asked to give permission for your organs to be donated. Remember not all states in the US have registries, so the most important thing is to let your friends, family members and loved ones know of your decision.

In Australia

There are 2,000 people in Australia on the organ transplant waiting lists at any given time. Some of them will die waiting.

The Australian Organ Donor Register is Australia’s only national organ and tissue donor register and serves as a lifeline to the people on those waiting lists.

Registering is the first crucial step. Click on link below for the online Australian organ donor register

http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/yourhealth/our_services/aaodr.htm

Wherever you live it is important to be a organ donor so please enquire  at your local medical centre on how to become a organ donor in your country and to make your wishes know to your family

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