Pragmatiq is celebrating Organ Donation Week 2018

Pragmatiq is celebrating Organ Donation Week 2018, which takes place Monday 3rd September to Sunday 9th September.

In the news this week you may have heard of conversations around Organ Donation Week, here at Pragmatiq we certainly have. After recently completing some work for the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) unit, it really highlighted to us the great work that goes on behind the scenes and how fortunate we are to live in a country that has free access to the resources and facilities that we have within the NHS. However, even with the great work being done, raising awareness will always be a challenge and one of the key drivers behind Organ Donation Week.

Talk to your family about organ donation

One of the topics you may have heard being discussed around this subject is families knowing whether their loved ones wanted to become organ donors before they passed away. For obvious reasons this is often not a topic that people want to discuss, however in order to increase awareness and registered donors, it is a conversation that is really going to make the difference. Just talking to your family about your choice, whether that’s to become a donor or not, is the first step in the right direction and if like many others you don’t know how to approach the subject, you’re not alone.

Family support is crucial to enable donations to take place and people need to feel comfortable about discussing it if there is to be an increase in the number of registered donors. Three people die every day in need of an organ transplant which clearly highlights the challenge we have in this country and by taking these first steps, there is a strong belief that these statistics can be reduced. Becoming a donor is a personal decision, so it is vital that you make an informed one that is right for you.  If that decision is a yes, then knowing how you go about becoming a registered donor is key and all those details are included in the Organ Donation link below.

Blood Donation

Alongside the requirement for organ donors, there is also an ever-growing demand for blood donors. Each year the NHS needs approximately 200,000 new donors, as some donors can no longer give blood. If you’d like to find out more about blood donation and whether you are eligible to donate, you can do so here.