On Sunday I visited Bohunt Horsham where a bone marrow register drive that was taking place. The drive at Bohunt was one of fifteen other sites organised by families affected by leukaemia.
At Bohunt was a local mother whose daughter has had leukaemia and needed a stem cell transplant as part of her treatment. Luckily, they were able to find a match but for many others it may take a long time for a match to be found.
They are understandably really keen to see as many people as possible register so that children can be given a second chance at life. Those aged between 17-55 can register by simply swabbing the inside of their cheek.
I know many people may fear that donating may be a difficult procedure but for 90% of people, donating is a similar process to donating blood.
Nationally one of the drives is to make sure the register has very wide representation from different communities so that every child suffering with cancer has the opportunity to find a match.
The drive was being supported by DKMS, the largest bone marrow register in the country. More information including how to register can be found here: https://www.dkms.org.uk/
It felt apt that this drive was taking place just before the start of Organ Donation Week which runs all of this week.
Every day people die waiting for an organ and latest figures show there are currently 7,183 patients waiting for a transplant. Sadly, people can face long waits for transplants and those with Black and Asian heritage are likely to wait longer.
This year marks the 3rd anniversary of the change in the law which means that an individual agrees to become an organ donor when they die if they are over 18, have not opted out and are not in an excluded group. The difference this change in legislation has made to individuals who receive organs and to their families cannot be overestimated. However notwithstanding the law it is really helpful to discuss the issue with friends and relatives. You never know whether in the event of tragic circumstances you may be able to save the life of others.
You can use the following link to find out more about organ donation: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/get-involved/organ-donation-week-2023/