ASIAN COMMUNITY URGED TO HAVE A HEART-TO-HEART
Source: The Sikh Times
As training schedules for the British Transplant Games step up a gear, its 700 competitors are urging the Asian community to have a ‘heart-to-heart’ meal with their friends and loved ones during National Transplant Week, 4-11th July. Asian people are three times more likely to need a kidney transplant, however despite this, there is a desperate shortage of donors with Asian’s having to wait twice as long for a transplant as a white person. Transplant Sport UK, the charity which runs the British Transplant Games, is urging Asian people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
People from a South Asian background make up 4% of the UK population, but represent 14% of those waiting for a kidney transplant. Despite this need, only 1% of those on the NHS Organ Donor Register are of Asian ethnic origin, leading to a shortfall that means many die waiting for a transplant.
Demonstrating that organ donation gives thousands of people the opportunity to live healthy, happy and long lives, British Transplant Games competitors are encouraging people to actively talk about organ donation and make others aware of their intentions to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
“With just seven weeks to go until the start of this year’s British Transplant Games, we are urging everyone to have a conversation with their families about organ donation,” says Lynne Holt of Transplant Sport UK. “As part of National Transplant Week the NHS is giving you the tools – and the recipes – to sit round the table and discuss over a heart-to-heart meal the importance of signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register. All of the participants of the British Transplant Games have had a life-changing transplant, thanks to the millions of people who have already signed up to the register. Competitors are living examples of the power of organ donation.”
One such competitor at the British Transplant Games is Amarjit Singh, a 53 year old retired teacher from Leyton in London. Amarjit has had a kidney transplant for over 20 years, after he fell ill around Christmas time in 1986, with a virus that would eventually lead him to be put on dialysis and the organ donor waiting list. He finally underwent his kidney transplant in 1989 and has never looked back. Amarjit has been a regular at the British Transplant Games since his transplant and the 2010 Games will be his 21st in a row. He is a prolific medal winner, winning a gold medal in every Transplant Games he has taken part in – last year capped by a double gold effort at the 2009 World Transplant Games in Australia. This year, he hopes to add to that impressive record.
Amarjit says, “Having a kidney donated gave me a new lease of life and has allowed me to live life to the full for the past 21 years. I was extremely lucky to receive my transplant within a year of dialysis; I would encourage people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register to give more people like me the gift of life.”
96% of the public say they would take an organ if they needed one, but only 27% are on the NHS Organ Donor Register*. In 2009, some 3,500 lives were saved or dramatically improved thanks to the generosity and courage of donors and their families, but with nearly 8,000 people in the UK still desperately waiting for a transplant, there is still a desperate need for organ donors. The Games aims to celebrate the gift of life and raise awareness of the positive impact organ donation has on transplant recipients.
“We are delighted to support National Transplant Week and hope everyone has a heart-to-heart to discuss organ donation,” Holt adds. “The Games offer families a fantastic weekend of fun, while carrying a very serious message. We hope this year’s event will inspire many more people to sign the NHS Donor Register and give the gift of life. It only takes a minute to sign, but can give someone a whole lifetime to enjoy.”
The British Transplant Games take place this year at venues including the University of Bath and Royal Victoria Park from 19th to 22nd August. The Games will see 1,700 athletes and their supporters descending on Bath.
Source: The Sikh Times
As training schedules for the British Transplant Games step up a gear, its 700 competitors are urging the Asian community to have a ‘heart-to-heart’ meal with their friends and loved ones during National Transplant Week, 4-11th July. Asian people are three times more likely to need a kidney transplant, however despite this, there is a desperate shortage of donors with Asian’s having to wait twice as long for a transplant as a white person. Transplant Sport UK, the charity which runs the British Transplant Games, is urging Asian people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
People from a South Asian background make up 4% of the UK population, but represent 14% of those waiting for a kidney transplant. Despite this need, only 1% of those on the NHS Organ Donor Register are of Asian ethnic origin, leading to a shortfall that means many die waiting for a transplant.
Demonstrating that organ donation gives thousands of people the opportunity to live healthy, happy and long lives, British Transplant Games competitors are encouraging people to actively talk about organ donation and make others aware of their intentions to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.
“With just seven weeks to go until the start of this year’s British Transplant Games, we are urging everyone to have a conversation with their families about organ donation,” says Lynne Holt of Transplant Sport UK. “As part of National Transplant Week the NHS is giving you the tools – and the recipes – to sit round the table and discuss over a heart-to-heart meal the importance of signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register. All of the participants of the British Transplant Games have had a life-changing transplant, thanks to the millions of people who have already signed up to the register. Competitors are living examples of the power of organ donation.”
One such competitor at the British Transplant Games is Amarjit Singh, a 53 year old retired teacher from Leyton in London. Amarjit has had a kidney transplant for over 20 years, after he fell ill around Christmas time in 1986, with a virus that would eventually lead him to be put on dialysis and the organ donor waiting list. He finally underwent his kidney transplant in 1989 and has never looked back. Amarjit has been a regular at the British Transplant Games since his transplant and the 2010 Games will be his 21st in a row. He is a prolific medal winner, winning a gold medal in every Transplant Games he has taken part in – last year capped by a double gold effort at the 2009 World Transplant Games in Australia. This year, he hopes to add to that impressive record.
Amarjit says, “Having a kidney donated gave me a new lease of life and has allowed me to live life to the full for the past 21 years. I was extremely lucky to receive my transplant within a year of dialysis; I would encourage people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register to give more people like me the gift of life.”
96% of the public say they would take an organ if they needed one, but only 27% are on the NHS Organ Donor Register*. In 2009, some 3,500 lives were saved or dramatically improved thanks to the generosity and courage of donors and their families, but with nearly 8,000 people in the UK still desperately waiting for a transplant, there is still a desperate need for organ donors. The Games aims to celebrate the gift of life and raise awareness of the positive impact organ donation has on transplant recipients.
“We are delighted to support National Transplant Week and hope everyone has a heart-to-heart to discuss organ donation,” Holt adds. “The Games offer families a fantastic weekend of fun, while carrying a very serious message. We hope this year’s event will inspire many more people to sign the NHS Donor Register and give the gift of life. It only takes a minute to sign, but can give someone a whole lifetime to enjoy.”
The British Transplant Games take place this year at venues including the University of Bath and Royal Victoria Park from 19th to 22nd August. The Games will see 1,700 athletes and their supporters descending on Bath.
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