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The gift of life
In our lifetime we are more likely to need a transplant than we are to become an organ donor. Mark Edmundson reports on a growing discrepancy and the Scottish Executive’s drive to correct it.
rgan and tissue
transplantation is one ol
the miracles ol‘ modern medicine ~ that a person in their passing (and sometimes life) can ollcr Inc to others. Last year alone organs from 765 people in the l'K were used in over 2()()() transplants. saving or dralmitically improving many lives. But the gap between the number of donors and the number in need of transplant surgery is widening. not least because of an ageing population and a rise in kidney failure. It is all the more troubling then that in the past one in ten of those who expressed a desire to donate organs in the event ol’ their death have had their wishes overruled. ol‘ten simply because the issue was never properly dichssed with loved ones.
With the aid ol‘ new legislation and a nationwide awareness campaign. The Scottish lixecutive is hoping to redress this concern by encouraging people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register (()l)R). It is a sad fact that while 90“? of Scots support organ donation in principle only 27‘} are currently registered. leaving a difficult decision to their families and healthcare workers at the most difficult of times. The Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006. passed on I September. is designed to ensure that the million-plus Scots who have registered as donors or carry donor cards will have their wishes respected. The new legislation verifies that relatives of the deceased will no longer have the legal right to overrule their request to relinquish organs for surgery.
That is to say that in this time of
critical shortage the donor‘s wishes have been given priority.
102 THE LIST 31 Sep—S Oct 2006
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though there is still room within the legislation to accept that there are circumstances where it would be inappropriate to proceed with donation.
To better explain the change in law and encourage Us to register as donors. The Scottish lixecutive has launched a field marketing campaign that is seeing representatives man stalls in shopping centres the length and breadth of the country. ol't‘ering advice and answering questions
from the public. This is your
WHILE 90°/o OF SCOTS SUPPORT ORGAN DONATION, ONLY 27°/o ARE REGISTERED
.
opportunity not only to put your name to the Organ Donor Register but also to air any concerns you may have and have any l‘urther questions answered. :\s an adviser on the organ donation road show since the tours launch at the end of August. Stephanie McKeow n has liound hersell' acting as a human face for a new legislation. 'The reaction has been l'antastic. The main thing has been people coming up and saying they‘ve been wanting to sign up but they‘ve not known where to go. Then there are the people who lilled in a donor card 25 years ago and have just been carrying it around in their wallet. wanting to know it that means that they're registered. It's hard to just go by a card in a wallet. not least because it could be lost or stolen.' she says. advising that to register l'ully online or by phone leaves less to chance.
It‘s now easier than ever to make your generous intentions official by registering as a donor online
‘Belore I started this I hadn't really thought about donation itsell'.‘ admits Stephanie. ’but l'irst hand experiences ol organ donation hay e brought home just what kind ol' dil'lerenee it can make. ltis these kind ol stories that make you think that it's something you should do.‘
ll can be a dillicult issue lol' some. addressing one-s own mortality. but those looking lor coml‘ort in such a situation can consider that one donor can ollcr me to several patients on the transplant register and restore sight in two more.
organ
As well as attending one of the Scottish Executive road shows you can also register as an organ donor by calling the organ donor line 0845 60 60 400, or visiting www.infoscot|and.com/ organdonor