Cardiff Central MP Jenny Willott is supporting National Transplant Week to increase local residents’ understanding of organ donation and encourage constituents to join the NHS Organ Donation Register (ODR).
The ODR is a confidential list of people who are willing to become donors after their death.
The focus of National Transplant Week in Wales this year is “Time to Talk”, which encourages people to join and talk about their donation wishes with family and friends.
In the UK there are currently around 8000 people waiting for a transplant and on average 3 people a day die waiting for a suitable organ to be donated.
In Wales, the new soft opt-out system will come in on 1st Dec 2015, but before then people are still encouraged to register on the ODR. In Cardiff Central there are currently nearly 34,000 registered organ donors and 24 organ transplants have taken place since 2009.
Commenting, Jenny Willott MP, said:
“I am delighted to support National Transplant Week. I hope it encourages more constituents to become donors and help save or transform the lives of desperately ill people.
“If you join the ODR it is really important to tell your family and friends. Even if your name is on the register, when you die, the person closest to you will be asked to confirm that you had not changed your mind. And from Dec 2015, family members will be involved in any decision in hospital, so it’s important we have all discussed what we want to do with our nearest and dearest.
“To add your name to the Register please call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.”
