Help the campaign to save 500 lives a year

UNISON is backing a Daily Mirror campaign that could make history – and save up to 500 lives a year – and we’re asking you to help us.

This Friday, 23 February, Geoffrey Robinson MP will present a private members’ bill in the House of Commons to change England’s laws on organ donation.

In the last decade, 4,712 people have died while waiting for an organ donor. As you read this, there are 500 people on the transplant list.

MPs now have an opportunity to slash these numbers. But do so needs 100 members in the House on Friday morning. At present, 64 MPs have confirmed their attendance, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow health minister Jonathan Ashworth.

At the moment, people have to opt in to become a donor after their death. Changing the law would mean they will automatically be considered a donor unless they have previously decided to opt-out. Family members could still overrule this if they wanted.

Wales and Scotland have already decided to change the law. If it happens in England too, then thousands of lives could be saved.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Mr Corbyn have both backed a change in the law, as well as Dr Chaand Naipaul, the council chairman of the British Medical Association.

You can make a difference by contacting your MP to ask them to be in the House on Friday. To do that, you can use www.theyworkforyou.com to find out who your MP is and to contact them.

Every message sent to an MP could make a difference. This really is a life and death situation.

To read more, visit the Mirror’s dedicated campaign pages.

UNISON policy on organ donation (NDC 2017)

UNISON in partnership with NHS to boost blood and organ donation (2015)

The article Help the campaign to save 500 lives a year first appeared on the UNISON National site.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8239598 https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2018/02/organs-mirror/
via IFTTT

source https://childrensplayareadesigns.tumblr.com/post/171059271487