2:36pm Tuesday 12th December 2006
IT IS never too late to become an organ donor regardless of your age and a group of Hampshire WI members is helping to spread that message by encouraging hundreds of people to join the register.
A lot of people are still under the impression that organs from young healthy donors are only good enough to be used but in fact anyone can become an organ donor at any age.
Last year almost 500 people died while waiting for a life-saving transplant and the Daily Echo launched its Save a Life campaign in association with UK Transplant to get more people to sign up to the organ donor register.
The Littleton and Harestock WI felt so strongly about the need to become organ donors that they managed to pass a resolution calling on all WI members across Hampshire to join the register and are now looking to see what they can do on a national level.
WI resolution Gillian Thomas, 59, of the Littleton and Harestock WI, put the resolution together after hearing a talk about organ donation.
She said: "We had a talk from a transplant co-ordinator who had already spoken to some members in North Waltham and we decided to do something about the lack of donors. We have got about 55 members in our branch but we wanted to get the message across to as many members as possible across Hampshire so we made the decision to put a resolution before the annual WI Hampshire Federation meeting in October which was attended by more than 3,000 people and it was passed."
The resolution asks all members to join the organ donor register by signing the forms and to inform and discuss their wishes with their families.
So far more than 200 WI members have signed up across Hampshire as a direct result of the resolution being passed and Gillian and her fellow members hope more people will join the register.
She added: "Lots of members had already joined the register but this is one way to encourage those who have not done so to think about it and sign up.
"We have even written a letter to the WI magazine asking them to publish our resolution in a bid to get more members to sign up nationally.
"Most people think once they have reached a certain age their organs are of no use to anyone but that's not true. There have been some donors who were in their 100s and their corneas went on to save someone else's sight."
There are currently more than 2.3 million people over the age of 60 on the organ donor register but more donors are still needed to join.
Noel Davies, UK Transplant Media and PR officer said: "People of all ages help give thousands of people every year a second chance by donating their organs after death.
"Last year alone nearly 200 people aged over 60 became an organ donor, while in the last four years more than 700, some in their 70s and 80s, have helped bring hope to others by making the ultimate gift of life.
"Older people too see their lives transformed every year through the generosity and courage of donors and their families, and since 2002 nearly 800 people aged over 60 have undergone a transplantation.
"A transplant is more likely to be successful if the organ donor is a similar age to the recipient, which is why it is important people of all ages join the NHS Organ Donor Register."
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