Donor mum: "The most important thing is to talk to your loved ones"

Conversation plea as NHS launches urgent plan to address organ donation shortage

People on the Isle of Man are being urged to speak to their loved ones about their organ donation wishes.

NHS Blood and Transplant has launched an urgent response plan today (21 September) to address a ‘significant accelerating decline’ in organ donation and transplantation across the UK.

Deceased donation rates have declined sharply in recent months and are currently around nine percent below this time last year.

But the UK transplant waiting list continues to rise with more than 8,700 people waiting for a lifesaving transplant; nine people are dying each week whilst waiting.

The NHS says more than 700 potential donations didn’t go ahead between April 2021 and March this year because families didn’t know their loved ones wishes.

On average each deceased donor will donate three organs meaning there are around 2,127 missed opportunities for transplant.

Family consent rates have also dropped from 67 percent in 2020/21 to 57 percent last year.

Donations can’t proceed without family support making recorded decisions ‘critical’.

Diane Taylor is a donor mum and the founder of Organ Donation Isle of Man.

Her son Daniel died in 2007 following a road accident; he saved the lives of four people by donating his heart, liver, pancreas and kidneys.

You can find out more HERE.

She told Manx Radio people need to be vocal now the opt-out system is in place on the Island:

On 1 January this year the Human Tissue and Organ Donation Act came into force on the Isle of Man.

It means that the Island is now subject to the opt-out organ donation system in the same way as the UK, Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey.

You can register, or amend, your organ donation decision - at any time - by clicking HERE.