We are setting up a project to raise awareness and increase the numbers of donors from amongst the black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities served by St George's Hospital. We are particularly keen to hear from patients, from those communities, who would like to help. Please email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

How can I help?

1. If you are not already registered as a donor - do it now!
2. If you are already registered, make sure you let you friends and family know your wishes.
3. Become part of the project team, defining the work and organising activities.
4. Organise meetings to spread the word
5. Encourage those around you to register
6. Share your story - formally through the video programme of NHS Blood and Transplant service, through articles on this website or by using your own social media accounts.

Why is this necessary?

On average, black, Asian and minority ethnic transplant recipients wait more than a year longer than their white counterparts for a transplant.

One in five people who died on the Transplant Waiting List last year were from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background.

Why? Because you are more likely to have kidney failure and need a transplant (around a third of people waiting are of BAME background), but you are less likely to find a good match (in 2014/5, only 6% of deceased donors were from a BAME background).

Why does this matter? Although many black and Asian patients are able to receive a transplant from a white donor, for many the best match will come from a donor from the same ethnic background. Matching tissue and blood type are important for a successful transplant and these vary by ethnicity.

The current situation

Over 1,800...

Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients are currently waiting for a transplant.

901... 

Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients received a transplant from a deceased donor last year. Those who do have their life saved or improved by a transplant will often have waited significantly longer for a successful match than white patients.

114... 

Black, Asian and minority ethnic patients donated organs when they died last year. If more people donated their organs after death, or as a living donor, then transplant waiting times would reduce.

Share this article with friends and sign up here:
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-to-donate/

For more information behind this read our article:

https://www.sgkpa.org.uk/main/black-asian-minority-ethnic-bame-groups-organ-donation

NHS Blood and Transplant Social Media Campaign

As part of a campaign to increase the number of registered donors amongst BAME communities, the NHS Blood and Transplant service has release around a dozen new videos.

 

Find out about the process of registration and donation here:

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/about-donation/

Many other videos can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjl4wHu2TagPCFkEY4GuY8ZCZVkbzhyh9

and

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/real-life-stories/people-who-have-benefitted-from-receiving-a-transplant/

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and don't forget to register and get in touch if you can help.