'Someone will die today waiting for a donor organ'

"New figures show that more than 800 people in London lost their lives waiting for an organ transplant in the past decade. Nationally, the figure stands at 12,000 deaths. NHS Blood and Transplant said 8,000 people across the UK are currently on the waiting list. Doctors said there was an urgent need for more people to join the organ donation register, and urged the public to sign up. In the UK, the law changed to presume people wish to donate their organs when they die, unless they specifically opt out."

"Eliza Jeurissen, a 20-year-old from Newham in east London, is waiting for a kidney transplant. At the moment she has at-home dialysis. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with FSGS - a rare kidney condition that causes too much protein to be lost in the urine and too much water to be retained in the body. There is no known direct cause, but her body is essentially attacking itself. She said she used to play football seriously and was told her fitness levels were going down."

More than 12,000 people across the UK, including over 800 in London, died waiting for organ transplants in the past decade. Approximately 8,000 people are currently on the national waiting list. The law now presumes consent for organ donation unless individuals opt out, but registration is encouraged to make wishes clear and reduce family uncertainty. Families overruled registered or expressed donation decisions 173 times last year. Organ donation registration can save or transform up to nine lives per donor. Organ Donation Week highlights an urgent need for more donors. A 20-year-old patient with FSGS uses at-home dialysis while awaiting a kidney.

Read at www.bbc.com