'Words save lives' - Families urged to talk about organ donation

Families in Greater Manchester are being urged to talk during Organ Donation Week (September 3-9) as new figures show 176 people from the area have died waiting for a transplant in the last five years.

Tragically, despite the fact more and more people are supporting donating their loved one’s organs, there is still an urgent need for more people to support donation.

NHS Blood and Transplant is now urging more people in Manchester to tell their families that they want to save lives through organ donation.

Last year, 254 people in Manchester had their lives saved by a transplant.

If more people agreed to donate, more lives would be saved in Manchester and around the country.

Within Greater Manchester, more detailed local figures include:

•           14 people from Oldham have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 19 people from Oldham received a transplant last year.

•           6 people from Tameside have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 26 people from Tameside received a transplant last year.

•           33 people from City of Manchester have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 54 people from City of Manchester received a transplant last year.

•           17 people from Stockport have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 20 people from Stockport received a transplant last year.

•           17 people from Rochdale have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 13 people from Rochdale received a transplant last year.

•           10 people from Bury have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 18 people from Bury received a transplant last year.

•           23 people from Bolton have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 25 people from Bolton received a transplant last year.

•           23 people from Wigan have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 34 people from Wigan received a transplant last year.

•           16 people from Trafford have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 25 people from Trafford received a transplant last year.

•           16 people from Salford have died on the waiting list in the past five years and 20 people from Salford received a transplant last year.

Although the number of donors is increasing, and the waiting lists are reducing, right now there are around 6,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant across the UK. 

During Organ Donation Week, the NHS is urging families to talk about donation with the message – ‘Words Save Lives’.

Councils and organisations around the country are lighting prominent buildings pink, which is the colour of the modern donor card, in support of the country’s organ donation campaign.

The buildings supporting with pink lighting include Manchester Town Hall, which will go pink at sunset tomorrow (Tuesday).

Dawn Lee, Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation Team Manager for NHS Blood and Transplant, who covers hospitals in Manchester, said: “It’s tragic that so many people from Manchester have died waiting for a transplant – what is shocking is that many of those lives could have been saved, had more families agreed to donate organs.

“People are dying every day because some families are not talking about donation.

"We need more families in Manchester to say yes to organ donation, so that more lives can be saved.”

Nationally, around three people die a day in need of an organ.

Only a small percentage of people die in circumstances where they can donate, so every donor is precious.

Millions of people are already on the NHS Organ Donor Register, join them today and tell your family you want to save lives.

Register at: www.organdonation.nhs.uk

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