MORE than 1,000 people in Hampshire are alive thanks to organ transplants, figures show.

The NHS Blood and Transplant annual transplant activity report shows that 1,257 people across the county are living with donated organs, a figure which rises to 50,000 nationally.

Last year 152 people in Hampshire had transplants, compared with 96 more than five years ago, an increase of just under 50 per cent.

NHS Blood and Transplant is urging people in Hampshire to help even more to survive by joining the NHS organ donor register.

There are 715,271 people on the NHS organ donor register in Hampshire, compared with 563,923 five years ago, while 84,898 people are registered in Southampton, compared with 69,714 five years ago.

Sally Johnson, director of organ donation and transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “More people than ever in Hampshire are committing to organ donation and that is saving more lives than ever.

“It’s amazing to picture all the people now alive today thanks to organ donation and think of all the families and children who have grown up thanks to donors.

“However, there is still a long way to go.

“Around three people a day still die in need of a transplant.

“Every one of those people who dies could be a mother or a father, a daughter or a son, who might be alive today.”

Dr David Chilvers, the clinical lead for NHS Fareham and Gosport CCG, who is a blood donor and signed up as a potential organ donor, welcomed the figures.

Dr Chilvers said: “What greater gift can we bestow on others?

“Organ donation is literally a gift of life but it’s not always an easy subject to talk about.

“The fact that more than 1,200 people in Hampshire are alive today thanks to the organ donor register is obviously a fantastic thing, but so much more could be achieved.

“We could help bring down that statistic of three people a day dying whilst awaiting

transplants, if only more of us signed up to the programme, and let our loved-ones know our wishes.”