Life’s amazing. Pass it on

LIFE’S amazing. Pass it on – that’s the message from a new organ donation campaign launched by Health Minister Edwin Poots.
Mr Edwin Poots, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety is joined by Mr Steve Carter and his children to raise awareness of organ donation. Following his wifes death, Mr Carter gave his consent for her organs to be donated and wanted to lend his support to the Lifes amazing. Pass it on Campaign.Mr Edwin Poots, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety is joined by Mr Steve Carter and his children to raise awareness of organ donation. Following his wifes death, Mr Carter gave his consent for her organs to be donated and wanted to lend his support to the Lifes amazing. Pass it on Campaign.
Mr Edwin Poots, Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety is joined by Mr Steve Carter and his children to raise awareness of organ donation. Following his wifes death, Mr Carter gave his consent for her organs to be donated and wanted to lend his support to the Lifes amazing. Pass it on Campaign.

The campaign aims to encourage more people to join the organ donor register in Northern Ireland. The Life’s amazing. Pass it on campaign will see the organ donation message being brought to billboards and to buses throughout Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said: “I am delighted to launch the Life’s amazing. Pass it on campaign. Organ donation and transplantation is a subject close to my heart and it is important that we do all we can to make as many organs available as possible for those in need of a transplant.

“Despite the great advances made in Northern Ireland in organ donation and transplantation in recent years, more still needs to be done. There are still around 200 people actively waiting on a transplant.

“Joining the organ donation list is one of the most generous things you can do for another person. I hope that the publicity this campaign generates encourages more people to join the organ donor register.”

The campaign is a collaboration by the five Health and Social Care Trusts and aims to target as wide an audience as possible to get people talking to families and friends about their wishes for organ donation, raise awareness of organ donation and generate registrations to the organ donor register (ODR).

The Minister continued: “I recently announced my intention to consult on public attitudes towards organ donation, including the introduction of an opt-out system for organ donation in Northern Ireland.

“My Department is developing the details of how this work will be progressed and I will make an announcement in due course. In the meantime it is important that we continue to encourage people to join the organ donor register and to educate them on the benefits or transplantation.”

For more information about organ donation go to http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/register-to-become-an-organ-donor