Embargoed until 00:01,
Friday 4 March 2011 - One in four denied dying wish - Black and
Asian families over-rule loved ones' decision to donate organs -
Issued by the News
Distribution Service on behalf of NHS Blood and Transplant
Figures from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) show that one in
four Black and Asian families refuse consent to organ donation at
the point of death, despite their loved one being on the NHS Organ
Donor Register (ODR). This is in contrast to one in ten for the
rest of the population.
Today, as well as encouraging more people from the Black and
Asian communities to join the ODR, NHSBT is urging those already
on the ODR to discuss their decision with their families. This
will help ensure their choices are honoured at the critical time.
Currently, 2,741 people in the UK in need of an organ transplant
are from ethnic minority groups. While the number of ethnic
minorities joining the Register has increased in recent years,
just 0.4* percent of those on the ODR are Black and only 1.3*
percent are from the Asian community.
However, these groups are three times more likely to need an
organ transplant than the rest of the population. This is because
they are more susceptible to developing diabetes and high blood
pressure which can lead to kidney and heart failure. As a result
of higher demand and a shortage of organ donors - on average Black
and Asian people have to wait three times longer than others for a transplant.
Anthony Clarkson, Assistant Director of Organ Donation at NHSBT
said: "Currently 26 percent of people waiting for an
organ transplant are from ethnic communities. The majority need a
kidney transplant. Successful transplants can be carried out
between people from different ethnic groups, but patients from the
same ethnic group are more likely to be a close match. To ensure
all patients have the opportunity of a successful transplant it is
absolutely critical that people from all ethnic backgrounds sign
up to the ODR and let their families know, so that their wishes
can be respected."
Research findings suggest that myths surrounding organ donation
may create a barrier to joining the ODR amongst the Black and
Asian community. Such myths include:
Myth: Organ donation is against my religion.
Fact: Organ
donation is consistent with the beliefs of most religions. This
includes: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and
Sikhism. If you're unsure of or uncomfortable with your
faith's position on donation, ask a member of your clergy.
Myth: Doctors won't work as hard to save my life, if
I'm on the register.
Fact: Your doctor's
primary focus is to save your life. The doctor in charge of your
care has nothing to do with transplantation.
Myth: I'm not in the greatest health, and my eyesight is
poor. Nobody would want my organs/tissues.
Fact: Very few
medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating
organs. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can
determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.
Supporting the campaign is This Morning TV presenter, Alison
Hammond, whose 12 year old niece Jasmine Page had a heart
transplant in January, she said: "We'll forever
remain grateful to the donor who saved Jasmine's life.
It's incredibly sad to hear that in today's
society people die waiting for a transplant. Joining the register
is so straightforward and quick. I can't imagine a
greater gesture than giving someone the gift of life."
Other celebrities backing the campaign include: Ex England
Footballer and Pundit - Ian Wright, Olympic athlete - Denise
Lewis, Celebrity Chef - Ainsley Harriott, BBC presenter - Ade
Adepitan, Singer - Raghav, Comedian and Actor - Kulvinder Ghir,
Author - Roopah Farooki, Actor - Raza Jaffrey, Actor - Abhin
Galeya, Musician and Actor - Riz Ahmed, Singer - Jaya and Actress
- Shobu Kapoor.
The campaign will include; a tour of shopping centres in areas
with a high concentration of Black and Asian communities, visits
to Hindu, Sikh and Muslim faith organisations and places of
worship, advertising on Black and Asian television channels, radio
stations and newspapers, a Facebook social media campaign and
poster display in community shops and outlets.
Currently only 29 percent of the UK population are on the ODR,
despite 90 percent of people saying they support organ donation.
To add your name to the NHS Organ Donor Register, please ring 0300
123 23 23 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
* These figures represent those on the ODR who have stated
their ethnicity where ethnicity has been recorded. Ethnic data has
been collected through new registrations since 2002 and only
through certain routes to joining.
Ends
For additional information please contact Betty Nwosu at COI on
020 7261 8849, betty.nwosu@coi.gsi.gov.uk
or Hannah Burke on 020 7261 8820, hannah.burke@coi.gsi.gov.uk
or Fen Bagias on 0117 917 5281, fen.bagias@coi.gsi.gov.uk
For out of hours enquiries please call: 07659133583.
Notes to editors * NHS Blood and Transplant
(NHSBT) is a Special Health Authority in the NHS. It is the organ
donation organisation for the UK, with responsibility for matching
and allocating donated organs. Its remit also includes the
provision of a safe, sufficient supply of blood and associated
services to the NHS.
* The NHS Organ Donor Register records the details of people who
have registered their wishes to donate organs and/or tissue after
their death for transplantation. This information is checked after
someone has died by authorised medical staff to establish whether
a person wanted to donate.
* The overall consent rate regardless of whether a patient is or
isn't on the ODR is 68.1% for white patients and 29.7%
for Black and Asian patients.
* Anyone can register on the ODR. Age isn't a barrier to
being an organ or tissue donor and neither are most medical
conditions. People in their 70s and 80s have become organ donors
and saved many lives. The oldest recorded cornea donor was 102.
* One donor can save or transform up to nine lives and many more
can be helped through the donation of tissues.
* There are currently 7,739 (at 21.02.11) people in the UK on the
active waiting list for an organ transplant. This figure changes
constantly as people join and leave the transplant list. Further
people are on the suspended list because they are too ill or
unable to receive a transplant at present. This brings the current
total needing an organ transplant in the UK to more than 10,000.
* In 2010, more than 6,900 organ and cornea transplants were
carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of deceased and
living donors - the highest on record.
* These figures
represent those on the ODR who have stated their ethnicity where
ethnicity has been recorded. Ethnic data has been collected
through new registrations since 2002 and only through certain
routes to joining.
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk