As the fair at Universities clear their stands and the students embark on the most exciting year of their lives, more than 10,000 of them have taken the decision to become a ‘lifesaver for life’ by signing up to be donors of blood and/or organs.
The NHSBT freshers fair tour brought a beach scene to universities on dreary days in September/October and representatives from the organisation, under the guise of ‘lifeguards’
Lynda Hamlyn, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Our tour visited 19 Universities across England and signed up 10,000 students to become blood and/or organ donors, which is fantastic. We are delighted with the response we received at Leeds University and found the students to be very supportive of donation. The students who signed up have taken the first step towards becoming a lifesaver for life.”
If every student who signed up to be a donor during this year’s tour gives blood three times a year for the duration of their university career, they will donate a whopping 57,636 units of blood. This is enough to provide EVERY hospital in England and North Wales with their full daily requirement for an entire week!*
NHS Blood and Transplant is dedicated to saving and improving people’s lives through organ, tissue, blood and bone marrow donation. There are more than 10,000 people in the UK currently in need of an organ transplant. At present, only 4% of the population in England and north Wales who can give blood do so, and 7,000 donations are needed each day to supply hospitals.
NHSBT’s Donor Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0300 123 23 23. It can be used to make an appointment to give blood and to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Ends
* Based on students giving blood three times a year for three years
Notes to editors
• NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a Special Health Authority in the NHS. It is the organ donor organisation for the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs. Its remit also includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS.
• The NHS Organ Donor Register is a confidential database used to identify those who have indicated that they wish to donate organs and/or tissue after their death for the purpose of transplantation. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is consulted after someone has died by authorised NHS staff in order to establish a person's wishes about donation.
• In 2008/09, 3,513 organ transplants were carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of 1,854 deceased and living donors – the highest on record.
• One donor can help up to eight different people and many more can be helped through the donation of the same person’s tissues. There are 23 organs in the human body. You can donate kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel. You can also donate the following tissues: corneas, skin, bone, tendons, and cartilage and heart valves.
• Last year the National Blood Service collected 1.9 million donations from its base of 1.4 million donors.
• The NHS needs 7,000 units of blood daily to supply hospitals across England and North Wales. Currently, only 4% of the eligible population are active blood donors.
• You can also join the organ donor register online at www.organdonation.nhs.uk or text the word ‘Give’ to 84118 and follow the simple instructions. Blood donors can join online at www.blood.co.uk.
