Mayor of Derry City and Strabane calls on the public to register as organ donors
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Grace Uí Niallais, has called on the public to take two minutes out of their day to save lives and register their organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Mayor Uí Niallais has facilitated the lighting of Council Offices, the Alley Theatre, the Tinnies, the Guildhall Clock and Castlederg Castle in pink this week to show solidarity with those waiting for a transplant and to encourage people to give their consent for organ donation.
Organ Donation Week is the annual celebration of organ and tissue donation and transplantation that saves hundreds of lives every year.
With the transplant waiting list at an all-time high, demand continues to critically exceed the number of available donated organs.
Speaking ahead of the week-long campaign, the Mayor urged local people to make their organ donation decision clear by taking the time to register this week.
"Most people support organ donation in principle but many assume they don’t need to act because of the opt-out system or they are simply put off making a formal record," she said.
"Only 1% of people die in circumstances where they can become an organ donor, making every potential donor incredibly precious.
“By taking two minutes to record your choice, you give clear certainty to your family during a difficult time and could potentially save and positively change the lives of several others.”
It takes just two minutes to confirm, update, or check your donor registration at www.organdonationni.info/register-now or by calling 0300 123 23 23.
Donors are encouraged to talk to their family about their decision and ensure those closest to them know their wishes so they can support your choice.
The Western Trust is encouraging people across the north west to make their organ donation decision known and discuss it with their loved ones.
The Western Trust said more than 8,000 people across the UK are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, the highest number ever recorded.
Despite the generosity of organ donors and their families, opportunities to save lives are still being lost because people have not recorded or shared their donation decision.