James Duddridge, Member of Parliament for Rochford and Southend East, encourages his constituents to join the organ transplant list during National Transplant Week.
Every year approximately 1,000 people die while waiting for an organ transplant and many others lose their lives before they are even on the list. There is a significant shortage of organs and the gap between the number of organs donated and the number of people waiting for a transplant is increasing.
The NHS Organ Donation Register is a confidential, computerised database which holds the details of more than 17 million people who have decided that after their death they are willing to donate organs to save the lives of others.
This year’s National Transplant Week runs between 4th and 10th July and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) are calling on the UK public to reduce the waiting times for a transplant by signing up to the organ donation register.
James said
“I have been on the organ donation list for quite some time and I also donate blood. I would encourage as many constituents as possible to sign up to the organ donation register. This selfless act will save the lives of others.”
To join the organ donation register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or telephone 0300 123 23 23.
ENDS