Lancashire folk really ARE generous

ONLY one month after the Evening Post launched its campaign 'Lancashire Giving the gift of Life' to recruit more organ donors, latest figures show more than 3,000 in the county have pledged to become donors.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Feb 2016, 07:00 BST
Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplantPhoto Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant
Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant

In the past five years, 55 people from Lancashire have died while waiting for an organ transplant and the aim of our campaign is to spur as many extra people to sign on the NHS Organ Donor Register during 2016 with the goal of making Lancashire a donor county.

When we launched “Lancashire: Giving the gift of life” last month, there were 480, 606 people in Lancashire who had registered their wishes to leave the legacy of life after death.

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Latest figures show there are now 483,697 Lancashire folk on the register - an increase of 3,091.

Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplantPhoto Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant
Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant

Keiran Miller, 27, of Dalby Close, Ribbleton, Preston, shared his story with us as part of the campaign.

Kieran, who has cystic fibrosis, was given just six months to live - but is now celebrating the two year anniversary of a double lung transplant.

NHS Organ Donation shared Kieran’s story featured in the Lancashire Evening Post on its Facebook page and it is already approaching half a million page views.

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Kieran today said: “I think it is fabulous that so many Lancashire people have signed up as organ donors since the LEP launched its campaign.

Organ Donation - campaign sparks rise in donor registrationsOrgan Donation - campaign sparks rise in donor registrations
Organ Donation - campaign sparks rise in donor registrations

“I never expected there to be such a phenomenal response to my story.

“Many people have contacted me to say their whole family have registered as a result of reading my tale.

“I have many more people support the LEP campaign and sign up as organ donors.”

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Dawn Lee, a specialist nurse organ donation team manager for NHS Blood and Transplant, who covers Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said: “ It’s fantastic to see so many people in Lancashire signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplantPhoto Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant
Photo Neil Cross Kieran Miller, 27, who has cystic fibrosis, celebrating two years since his double lung transplant

“The Lancashire Evening Post’s campaign has really brought organ donation to the forefront in the region and we hope many people will continue to sign up as a result.

“Sadly, across the UK three people a day die due to the shortage of organ donors.

“Organ donation saves and transforms lives and many of the people signing up in Lancashire will have read the inspiring personal stories in the Lancashire Evening Post’s campaign.

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“We need conversations about organ donation to be part of everyone’s life and urge anyone who wants to donate their organs to join the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell their families their decision.”

• To sign up, visit: http://bit.ly/givethegiftoflife

Related topics:LancashireOrgan Donation