Give Wales Your Hearty Support - Bates

Give Wales Your Hearty Support - Bates
3.04.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 13th Jun 2008

As the Kidney Wales Foundation continues their 'Donate Wales' campaign, Welsh Lib Dem Mick Bates AM expresses his strong support for the campaign which is aimed to tackle the shortage of organ donors in Wales. Mick recently underwent a hip operation and found himself lucky that his operation didn't require a transplant. However, the Montgomeryshire AM remains concerned with the fate of more than 450 people across Wales who are currently waiting in hope.

Sadly, within the last 5 years 150 people died waiting while more than 750 received a transplant that changed their lives. The critical shortage of organs is increasing while 73% of Wales is still to register for the donation.

Mick Bates: "It is sad that so many people die waiting for a transplant. When asked, 90% of people support organ donation. In my view presumed consent for organ donation would be a life-saving response to the needs of many Welsh people who are currently awaiting a transplant.

"This is not an easy topic for conversation, but we must promote knowledge about organ donation in Wales. Many people are not aware that there is no minimum and maximum age limit for registering as a donor. Having a medical condition does not necessarily prevent a person from becoming an organ or tissue donor either."

In Powys alone at the end of February this year 12 people were waiting for a kidney transplant, while 48 were receiving dialysis, according to the Health Commission Wales.

Mick said: "Registering for organ donation can have a real life-saving impact and help people from your area. We must encourage more people to register for organ donation which can give others a chance to live."

AM for Alyn and Deeside Carl Sargeant

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES ORGAN DONATION CAMPAIGN


Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, has attended the launch of a pioneering new campaign aimed at increasing the number of organ donors in Wales.The Donate Wales – Tell a Loved One campaign, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and led by the Kidney Wales Foundation, sees nine major charities come together for the first time in the UK to tackle the shortage of donors. It’s also the first time there has been an organ donation campaign unique to Wales.Mr Sargeant, who has spoken out in the chamber about the need to increase the number of people donating their organs for transplant, said: “More than three quarters of a million people in Wales have joined the Organ Donor Register but that still means that three in four of us have yet to do so. “For those people who have joined, it is crucially important that they talk to their loved ones about their views on organ donation because families often refuse to allow organs to be donated simply because they are unaware of their relative’s wishes.” The campaign, which will run until September 2008, is encouraging people to get talking about what they want to happen to their organs when they die and to encourage more people in Wales to join the Organ Donor Register.