How can you make a Difference?
By becoming an Organ Donor, that’s how!
Jeanette Humphries, Chair of Geddington’s Women’s Institute, asked geddington.net if it would spare some web space to promote community awareness of this life-saving procedure.
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In 1974, the National Committee of the Women ‘s Institute called for the creation of an organ donor register, which was finally set up in 1994. But twenty years on, there is still a shortage of organs and, as a result, 3 people die every day waiting for a transplant.
The Resolution before the W.I.’s National Annual Meeting later this month, calls on every member of the W.I. “to make their wishes regarding organ donation known, and to encourage their families and friends, and members of their local communities, to do likewise.”
Following the announcement of this Resolution earlier this year, each W.I. Group then had to discuss it and let the National Meeting know its result.
Jeanette told us the Resolution was discussed at the May meeting of the Geddington W.I., and the result was that the Geddington members were “overwhelmingly in support of this Resolution.” Jeanette continued, “the fight to secure enough donors does not end there.” And she went on to explain how simple it is to register to be an organ donor and that it can be done in any one of the following ways:
Online at www.organdonation.nhs.uk
Telephone 0300 123 23 23
or when:
Applying for, or renewing, a driving licence
Registering at a GP surgery
Applying for a Euro Health Card (EHC)
Applying for a Boots Advantage Car
Jeanette pointed out that, “As well as registering it is also very important that your family knows your wishes. When relatives aren’t aware of a decision to donate, fewer than half agree to donate their loved ones’ organs. Last year, 115 families of people who were on the register, refused to allow organs to be donated.
Families have no right to overrule the wishes expressed by the deceased person, but doctors have the discretion not to go ahead if doing so would cause distress to the relatives. So it is vital that we all have that important conversation!”
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