7 September 2020
This Organ Donation Week, we are reminding Borderers about the upcoming changes to the law in Scotland around organ and tissue donation.
Although over 70% of people in Scotland support donation and would be willing to donate after death, many don’t record this decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
From March 2021, the law is changing to an “opt out” system across Scotland to help save and improve more lives. This means that if you die in circumstances where donation could be possible, you will be considered to be a potential donor, unless you have chosen to opt out or are in an excluded group.
Dr David Love, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation at NHS Borders, said: “Deciding whether or not to become a donor after you have died is a very personal matter and it’s important that you make your own decision and share that decision with those closest to you. Telling your family can save them unnecessary distress during an already difficult time.
He added: “In Scotland, more than 500 people are waiting for a transplant at any time. But there aren’t enough donors to help all of these people. By being an organ donor you could give up to seven people a second chance at life. This is an opportunity for many of us to truly give a gift of life.”
To find out more about organ donation and to join the NHS Organ Donor Register visit www.organdonationscotland.org
Gordon Hutchison is a Scottish heart transplant recipient who underwent a transplant aged just 13 after being born with a congenital heart defect. Gordon was the face of the Organ Donation Scotland "We Need Everybody" campaign to deliver the message that organ donation saves lives, as someone who knows first-hand.
Learn about Gordon's story in the video below.