Choosing to donate your organs can save a life.
There are now more than 700 people in Cheshire alive today because of transplants.
The NHS hopes to show you can do something amazing by joining its organ donor register.
Nationally the number of people alive thanks to organ donations has reached 50,000.
NHS Blood and Transplant director of organ donation Sally Johnson said: “More people than ever in Cheshire 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.
“We’re seeing more and more people committing to donation and the good results of our close work with hospitals.
“Our specialist nurses in organ donation are now almost always involved in discussions with families over organ donation.”
The amount of people on the organ donor register in Cheshire West has gone up by almost 30,000 in the past five years.
The total signed up is now 143,446. Of the UK’s population 36% have joined up, but this could be higher.
Choosing to donate can transform up to nine lives.
Ms Johnson said: “Around three people still die a day in need of a transplant. Every one of those people who died could be a mother or a father, a daughter or a son, who might be alive today.
“Families tell us donation is a source of pride that helps them in their grieving process. We don’t want anyone in Cheshire to miss the opportunity to save lives through organ donation.
“Please join the NHS register. It only takes two minutes.”
If you would like to join the NHS Organ Donor Register, click here.
Our sister paper the Mirror is running its Change the Law campaign to bring the organ donation system in line with Scotland and Wales.
This would deem all adults in England to have consented to donate their organs unless they have opted out.
This groundbreaking change is expected to increase the number of donors by 25%.
You can read more about it here.
