Why on earth is this page on the website?
Well, the answer is in my latest book Tortillas to Totems. Quite naturally, I feel passionate about this topic. I’m taking advantage of this page to share just a few facts with you. I hope you’ll bear with me, and read on.
The NHS Organ Donor Register records the details of people who have registered their wishes to be an organ and/or tissue donor after their death. Anyone can register, and nowadays age isn’t a barrier. Even people in their 70s and 80s have become donors and have saved lives. The thing that surprised me was that most medical conditions don’t rule you out! How about this for a statistic? One donor can save or greatly improve up to 9 lives!
And you know, questionnaires have shown that 96% of us would gratefully accept an organ if we needed one, but the reality is that only 27% of us have actually taken action and joined the NHS Register. When you buy one of my books from this website, we will send you out an application form with all the details about how to join the Organ Donor Register, but hey, perhaps don’t wait for that.
Go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23 and get cracking. Please don’t become one of those people who ‘always meant to sign up, but never got round to it’.
Which of your organs can be used? Your kidneys, heart, liver, small bowel. eyes, lungs, pancreas and even your tissue! It really is incredible what can be done now isn’t it.
In the UK alone, on average 3 people a day die because not enough of us are registered as donors. While their health is failing, their lives and the lives of their families can be quite desperate.
Go on. Please make wonderful things for so many people happen as a result of your sad death. Join the register. Oh, and one final thing. If you are one of those amazing people who have made the decision and carry card, but haven’t joined the register, please take this additional step. It makes the situation for your close family so much better when they are grieving. There’s less administrative hassle for them. And by being signed up there is a far greater chance that more of your organs can be used. Time is, of course, of the essence.
Thank you for reading this far and thank you for seriously thinking about registering.
I hope you live a long, happy and healthy life. I’m now living a great life thanks to a person like you! I wish I could explain what a difference has been made for me and everyone who is close to me. I am grateful for every day!