Northern Ireland Transplant waiting list rises as families refuse consent

The Belfast Telegraph

Just one-in-three people in Northern Ireland have signed up to become organ donors.

Despite a transplant waiting list of 190 people and up to 15 deaths-a-year, only 31% of the population has joined the NHS organ donor register.

Dr Eddie Rooney chief executive of the Public Health Agency (PHA) warned: "In Northern Ireland almost 200 people are currently waiting for a transplant and sadly the chance will come too late for many."

Last year, 123 transplant operations were carried out in hospitals across Northern Ireland. However, the level of demand has hit an all-time high, having jumped by 40% since 2001.

By becoming an organ donor one person can help save or significantly enhance the lives of nine others.

Dr Rooney, who also chairs the Northern Ireland committee for organ donation and transplantation, added: "Organ donation really is the gift of life. The generosity of donors and their families enhances or saves the lives of recipients across Northern Ireland."

General support for the concept of organ donation for transplantation is high (84%) and the majority of people (78%) said they would take an organ if they needed one.

But even though the number of names on the register has increased in recent years, more than a third of families have refused to give consent to the donation of their loved one's organs.

They cited spiritual beliefs, medical distrust and the so-called 'ick factor' over having body parts removed among the main reasons for their opposition.

Of those wishing to donate their organs after death, only 38% had discussed their wishes with family members.

And, despite a massive publicity drive by the Department of Health, around a third (36%) did not know about the organ donor register, with awareness particularly low among the 16-to-29-year-olds and the over 65s.

Around 56% said they would favour changing to an opt-out/presumed consent system – currently being considered by the Assembly – while 18% were opposed to any law change.

The findings are in a new report on public attitudes towards organ donation and transplantation carried out by the PHA.

“You Have the Power to Donate Life – Sign-up today! Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

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Northern Ireland politician urges new organ donor system

By Noel McAdam, Belfast Telegraph
A Ulster Unionist Assembly Member has given emotional thanks to the family of an organ donor who saved her son’s life.

The UUP has already come out in favour of an opt-out system for organ donation where people would automatically be signed up as potential donors unless they asked to be removed.

Jo-Anne Dobson told her family’s story as MLAs heard there are 288 people awaiting transplants in Northern Ireland — and an average of 15 people in the province die every year waiting for an organ to be found.

The Ulster Unionist said her son Mark had suffered from kidney disease since he was born, but as a 13-year-old went into renal failure and was told he would need a transplant operation in one to three years.

“We had always lived with Mark’s kidney disease, but I cannot relay to you the shock it delivers to a family to hear that your son needs to have life-saving surgery,” the Upper Bann MLA said.

“But Mark is one of the lucky ones — he waited for 10 months for a successful donor organ to be found.”

Mrs Dobson added: “We do not know who the donor of Mark’s kidney was, and probably never will — but, even so, we thank their family every single day for giving Mark the gift of life.

“As they endured the indescribable grief of losing a loved one, through donating an organ they gave the selfless gift which enabled us to have a healthy and fit son.”

Her story came as MLAs voted to include the prospect of people being asked to opt out rather than opt in — currently the case in Wales — in a review of organ donations after a motion tabled by the DUP was adopted. The DUP’s Jim Wells — who is to be the next Health Minister — told how 37-year-old Declan Quinn was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Coalisland last July and as a donor no less than seven of his organs were transplanted to others on the waiting list.

“A four-year-old girl who was born blind had Declan Quinn’s corneas transplanted on to her eyes and she saw her parents for the first time.

“In the midst of a tragic situation, Declan Quinn’s relatives had the comfort of knowing that his death had brought life to others,” he added.

“There simply are not enough organs for transplant in Northern Ireland. It is as simple as that.”

factfile

There has been a significant increase in the number of kidney transplants in the province: up from 59 in 2008-09 to 70 in 2009-2010, and this year so far there have been 77 procedures.

In 2010-11, there were also 21 liver transplants, four heart transplants, four lung transplants and one combined heart and lung transplant.

All of those operations were, however, carried out in hospitals in Britain, because Northern Ireland only has the facilities to carry out kidney transplants.

“You Have the Power to Donate Life – to become an organ and tissue donor Sign-up today!
Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register

New Zealand, register at Organ Donation New Zealand

Canada - Ontario beadonor.ca
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United States, donatelife.net

United Kingdom, register at NHS Organ Donor Register

Your generosity can save or enhance the lives of up to fifty people with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants (see allotransplantation). One tissue donor can help by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves

Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. Organs can save lives, corneas renew vision, and tissue may help to restore someone's ability to walk, run or move freely without pain. Life Begins with You.

Christmas hopes of 300 waiting for organ transplants in Northern Ireland

It doesn't matter where we live in the world, there's a shortage of organ donors. Here in Ontario, where I live, there are 1,707 on the waiting list as of today. 1,205 of these are patients waiting for a kidney transplant. A total of 443 kidney transplants out of 796 total organ transplants have been performed. It's easy to do the math.

Urgent appeal for organ donors

Belfast Telegraph

Twelve patients in Northern Ireland are waiting for new hearts and lungs while seven need lifesaving liver operations.

Most of the patients require a kidney, with 300 on the waiting list, and 750 undergoing dialysis in hospitals and at home.

Now health experts and those who have had transplants are calling for more donors in the run-up to Christmas.

Eleanor Donaghy, Donor Transplant Co-ordinator, said that the UK has one of the lowest donation rates in Europe, with the waiting list in March at an all-time high and 1,000 patients dying each year over the lack of a transplant.

Ms Donaghy said that the number of people in Northern Ireland who refuse permission when approached for a donation after the death of a family member is 43%, well below the UK average.

The number of people on the province’s register is 23%, making it the third lowest region in the UK.

Last night, the parents of Northern Ireland’s youngest-ever heart transplant patient, Coleraine boy Jack Atkinson, and other patients whose lives have been saved by transplants, reinforced the plea for more organ donors.

Meanwhile, David Robinson, chairman and co-founder of the Northern Ireland Transplant Association, spoke about a heart transplant he underwent in January 1991 at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, after suffering no fewer than nine heart attacks.

“I’m now 75 and it has made such a difference to my life,” said David, who is from Belfast. “I continue to walk and cycle and get as much exercise as possible to keep my heart healthy — it came from a 17-year-old donor who died and carried the card. Now, I have two wonderful grandchildren I would never have seen.

“Today, there are almost 100 people in Northern Ireland with new hearts and the same number with new livers, and over 2,000 kidney transplants have been carried out in the Belfast City Hospital. So many lives have been saved and, with more donors, the potential is limitless.”

Gordon Cave, who is the chairman of the Royal Victoria Hospital Liver Support Group, received a new liver at London’s King’s College Hospital in October 1997.

Without the operation he would have had no chance of survival.

Belfast man Billy Thompson (66), executive member of the NI Kidney Research Fund, received a kidney 27 years ago from a live donor, his brother David, now 63.

“It has made such a difference to my life,” said Billy.

And Northern Ireland’s longest-surviving kidney transplant patient Bob Arnott (73), chairman of the NI Kidney Research Fund, received his kidney in January 1971.

“I believe I’m the fifth longest survivor in the UK and 16th in the world,” said Bob.

Donors can register on 0845 6060400 or they can do it online at UK Transplant.

“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Sign Your Donor Card & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network
For other Canadian provinces click here

In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov

Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants. One tissue donor can help up to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves