Volunteers Needed to Promote Organ Donation

The Organ Donation team at Leicester’s Hospitals are looking for volunteers to promote organ donation in their community.
Organ donation within BME (black and minority ethnic) communities is becoming a serious public heath issue, as the need for transplants among BME people increases. According to NHS Blood and Transplant, 26% of people waiting for an organ transplant are now from BME groups, with the majority of those needing a kidney transplant.
However, just 0.4% of those on the organ donor register are black and 1.3% are from Asian ethnic groups. With the success of organ transplantation heavily dependent on blood type and with very few type B donors – the predominant blood type of Asian and African / Caribbean groups – on the register, the racial mix of donors needs to match demand more closely.
We are looking for individuals who are willing to attend community events (festivals / religious events / health fairs etc.) and encourage people to sign up to the organ donor register. The time commitment is flexible but we do ask that ambassadors have a personal commitment to promoting organ donation and are willing to undertake some training for the role.
Although we are focusing on BME communities with this project, anyone is welcome to join us if they have access to community / faith groups and are interested in promoting organ donation.
If you are interested, or know someone else who would enjoy the challenge, our first recruitment / training session will take place on;
12th November, 6pm – 8pm in the Education Centre, Leicester General Hospital.
If you would like to book a place, please contact Karl Mayes, Patient and Public Involvement Manager (karl.mayes@uhl-tr.nhs.uk) Tel: 0116 258 8685
We look forward to hearing from you.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•