Carrying on from his recent win where he retained his European super middle-weight title, Brian Magee and fellow TSUK Patron, Stephen Watson, BBC sports presenter, join Orla Smyth, who had a kidney transplant 3 years ago, to encourage the people of Northern Ireland to join the NHS Organ Donor Register by simply texting, signing or going online.
The trio are supporting the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon’s nominated charity, Transplant Sport UK, in a bid to raise funds for the charity to highlight the urgent need for donors in Northern Ireland. Both Brian & Stephen will be running the marathon’s relay, while Orla will take on the full marathon.
Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive of the Public Health Agency and Chairman of the Local organising committee for the Westfield Health British Transplant Games says of the association;
‘I am absolutely delighted that the people of Belfast will be running to support Organ Donation at this year’s marathon. If anyone should need convincing of this wonderful cause they should also join us at the Westfield Health British Transplant Games in August 2011 which are being held in Belfast. Belfast will be celebrating with athletes of all ages and who have been given a chance to live and compete because of the extraordinary gift of donation.
The people of Northern Ireland have the power to make a difference – please, please join us in our efforts to make a difference by signing up to the Organ Donor register and discussing it with family and loved ones.’
Three people die in the UK every day awaiting a transplant, and in Northern Ireland alone, 300 people are currently on the waiting list – you can make a difference by signing the NHS Organ Donor Register and discussing your wishes now with your family.
Transplant Sport UK will be hosting the Westfield Health British Transplant Games in Belfast in 2011.
For further information please visit www.transplantsport.org.uk and to join the NHS Organ Donor Register please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 1232323 or text SAVE to 84118.
300 people are currently waiting for a transplant in Northern Ireland.
8 of these are children.
13 died waiting 2008/2009.
447,000 people are signed onto the Organ Donor Register in Northern Ireland – only 27% of the population!
NHS Organ donation facts and figures
In the UK between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009:
3,513 organ transplants were carried out, thanks to the generosity of 1,853 donors.
A record number of donors were living donors, 954 people donated a kidney or a segment of their liver, representing more than half of all donors.
The highest number of non-heartbeating donor transplants took place – 579 transplants, a 35% increase on 2007-2008.
Living donor kidney transplants are increasing – 589 in 2005-2006, 690 in 2006-2007, 831 in 2007-2008 and 927 in 2008-2009 and now represent more than one in three of all kidney transplants.
977 lives were saved in the UK through a heart, lung, liver or combined heart/lungs, liver/kidney, liver/pancreas, heart/kidney or liver/kidney/pancreas transplant.
A total of 2,536 patients received a kidney, pancreas or combined kidney/pancreas transplant.
On Friday 9th April 2010, 7,957 patients were listed as actively waiting for a transplant.
Almost a million more people pledged to help others after their death by registering their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register, bringing the total at 31 March 2009 to 16,124,871.
For further press information please contact Nicola Marks on 07870592380 or email Nicola@1visionpr.com
