Eighty four people living in Bradford are currently on the UK’s waiting list for a transplant, new figures show.
The news comes as one of the district’s leading doctors called for more people to join the organ donor register.
Dr Paul Stonelake, Intensive care consultant and joint organ donation clinical lead at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “There is a desperate shortage of organ donors, not just in Bradford but across the whole Yorkshire region and country. If you would like to ensure that others live on, after you have died, then please consider how your organs could make a difference to others - join the organ donor register today and make sure your loved ones know your wishes.
“All too often, people don’t have these conversations and so their wishes aren’t fulfilled after they die.
“If you are one of the 132,539 people across the district who are on the register, please make sure you speak to your family and friends, just in case they are ever in the difficult position of being asked to consent to donating your organs.”
Those waiting on the list include 66 kidney patients, five people waiting on a double kidney and / or pancreas transplant, six people waiting for a new heart and seven people need a liver.
Jenny Hughes is the new specialist nurse in organ donation at Bradford Royal Infirmary. She is responsible for approaching the families of potential donors to raise the possibility of donation with their loved ones and to discuss their donation choices.
“Nationally, three people die every day in need of a transplant because not enough organs are available. Yet many families still say no to organ donation. In my experience, this is often because they were unaware of their loved one’s decision around organ donation and find it a difficult decision to make on their loved one’s behalf.
“We need to get to the point where organ donation is high on the list of important personal conversations we routinely have with loved ones. I’d love everyone to take a few minutes of their time to talk about whether they want to be an organ donor with their relatives or a close friend.
“One donor can save or transform up to nine lives and many more can be helped through the donation of tissues. If you want to help people after you have passed away there is no greater gesture than becoming an organ donor.”
Jenny continued: “People often think you have to be the perfect human being which isn’t necessarily true. There's no age limit for donating and very few medical conditions exclude you from being able to donate. Healthcare professionals decide to use your organs and tissue based on strict medical criteria.”
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