In our hectic day to day lives, filled with lectures, VKs and attempts to go to the gym, we rarely give a second thought to what will happen at the end of our lives. Last year, 1364 people in the UK donated their organs when they died, but experts are saying that the donation consent rate, at 62%, is still far too low. You can help change this, so here are the top 5 reasons to become an organ donor:
1. Thousands of people are affected. Currently, in the UK, there are 6340 people waiting for a transplant, and only around 1% of people actually die in circumstances which make organ donation possible. Therefore, the waiting list for an organ transplant is extremely long. By becoming a donor you are potentially helping to reduce this waiting time and provide an organ to someone who wouldn’t be able to get a transplant otherwise.
2. If you’re not a registered donor, it’s unlikely that your organs will be useable. Statistically, if a deceased patient is not a donor, their relatives are often unwilling to agree to donation. The NHS claims that the biggest obstacle to organ donation is family refusal. If 80% of families agreed for their relatives organs to be donated, 1000 more donations would be able to take place each year. This is why it’s really important to be a registered donor, so that it is clear for everyone involved that you are willing for your organs to be donated.
3. You can make a huge contribution to someone else’s life. Donating your organs means that even when you are no longer around, you will still be making a positive impact on the world by helping to save the life of another person. This has also been known to be very comforting to families of organ donors, to know that your loss has saved someone else.
4. The UK has one of the lowest donation rates in Europe. Since 2013 the rate of consent for donation has increased by 5%, we need to change this, fast.
5. One day you may need an organ. If we would be prepared to take an organ if we needed one, it’s important that we are equally prepared to donate, and give back to our community.
Edited by: Amy Hawthorne
Sources:
http://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/news/apple-to-bring-national-organ-donor-registration-to-iphone
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mike-judge/presumed-consent-organ-do_b_3539354.html