Sunday, 4 April 2010

Please consider signing up for the National Organ Donor Register



A recent article in my local paper reminded me of the great need there still is for people to sign up to the national organ donor register.

As their website says:

If you believe in organ donation, prove it

Would you take an organ if you needed one? Nearly everyone would. But only 28% of us have joined the Organ Donor Register.
More than 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant. Of these, 1000 each year – that's three a day - will die waiting as there are not enough organs available.

My personal view is that the current system should be changed to an opt-out system.  I can understand how some people have cultural or religious reasons for not wanting to be on the register, and an opt-out system would accommodate them.  Having such a system would no doubt increase the amount of available donors.

After all, most of us, if we were ill would like to think that we would not have to wait a long period of time for a donor.  And if we rely on this system we should also be willing to contribute to it.

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