Guy's and St Thomas' gives organ donation message a much needed lift

Lifts at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals have been covered with powerful messages to raise awareness of organ donation.

The doors of two lifts on the ground floor of North Wing at St Thomas’ Hospital and two lifts on the ground floor of Borough Wing at Guy’s Hospital have been covered with artwork from NHS Blood and Transplant. It includes a barcode which staff, patients and visitors can scan with their smartphones to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ is promoting organ donation in the hope that it will make people think about joining the Organ Donor Register while waiting for a lift. This would hopefully, in turn, open the door to more people getting the transplants they need.

Figures published in NHS Blood and Transplant’s Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity Report 2016/17 showed that nearly 250 patients received a transplant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in 2016/17.

However, sadly three people a day still die while in need of a transplant due to the shortage of people willing to donate organs. There are currently around 100 people living in Lambeth and Southwark who need a lifesaving organ transplant.

Sam Newman, specialist nurse for organ donation at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said:  “We are delighted to be promoting organ donation on the doors of some of the lifts within the hospital. Organ donation saves lives and one organ donor can save or transform up to nine lives and even more by donating tissue as well. However, this is only possible if people are willing to donate.

“Save your family from having to guess what you would have wanted. Join the NHS Organ Donor Register and let your family know your decision. One day it could be someone you love in need of a transplant.

“We hope this initiative will prompt our employees, patients and visitors to the hospital to think about organ donation and to commit to save lives as a donor by signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.”

Sign up on the organ donation wesbite today and let your friends and family know you want to help others after your death.