More than 2,200 people now alive in Greater Manchester thanks to organ donation

The number of people living in Greater Manchester currently known to be alive thanks to organ transplants has reached 2,218.

This figure is revealed by NHS Blood and Transplant, whose annual Transplant Activity Report, published today, shows the UK-wide number of people alive thanks to transplants has reached the milestone figure of 50,000.

NHS Blood and Transplant is now urging Mancunians to help even more people to survive by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register.

More people are alive thanks to transplants because of improving survival rates and increased public commitment to donation. In Greater Manchester, the number of people on the Organ Donor Register has increased by 26% over the past five years. There are now 863,137 people on the register in Greater Manchester, compared to 686,558 five years ago.

This includes:

• 74,240 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Tameside, compared to 59,730 five years ago.
• 62,587 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Oldham, compared to 50,990 five years ago.
• 153,472 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in the City of Manchester, compared to 127,766 five years ago.
• 112,621 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Stockport, compared to 89,439 five years ago.
• 60,216 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Rochdale, compared to 47,324 five years ago.
• 58,201 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Bury, compared to 46,071 five years ago.
• 82,435 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Bolton, compared to 66,189 five years ago.
• 95,588 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Wigan compared to 71,848 five years ago.
• 87,823 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Trafford, compared to 68,432 five years ago.
• 79,101 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Salford, compared to 61,206 five years ago.

Anyone can sign up as a donor on the NHS Organ Donor Register. How old you are or any existing medical conditions shouldn’t stop you from signing up. You could save or transform up to nine people’s lives by donating your organs when you die and help even more by donating tissue.

Nationally, the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register reached a record number, 23.6 million. Today 36% of the UK’s population is on the NHS Organ Donor Register, compared to 30% five years ago.

The public support for donation also means more people in Manchester are receiving lifesaving and life enhancing transplants. Last year 244 people in Greater Manchester had transplants, compared to 169 five years ago.

Despite the record breaking public commitment to donation, there is still a shortage of organ donors. Nationally, three people still die a day in need of a transplant. There are still around 6,400 people currently waiting for a transplant. This is a particular need for people to register from black and Asian backgrounds. People from the same ethnic background are more likely to be a match but there are not enough black and Asian donors.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “More people than ever in Greater Manchester are committing to organ donation and that is saving more lives than ever. It’s amazing to picture all the people now alive today thanks to organ donation and think of all the families and children who have grown up thanks to donors.

“We’re seeing more and more people committing to donation and the good results of our close work with hospitals. Our specialist nurses in organ donation are now almost always involved in discussions with families over organ donation.

“However there is still a long way to go. Around three people still die a day in need of a transplant. Every one of those people who die could be a mother or a father, a daughter or a son, who might be alive today.

“Families tell us donation is a source of pride that helps them in their grieving process. We don’t want anyone in Greater Manchester to miss the opportunity to save lives through organ donation. Please join the NHS Organ Donor Register. It only takes two minutes.”

In 2013, the UK Governments and NHS Blood and Transplant launched a seven year organ donation and transplantation strategy Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020. To view or download the strategy go to: http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/to2020/

The full Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2016/17 can be viewed below.

Join the NHS Organ Donor Register at:

www.organdonation.nhs.uk

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