Campaigns

Sick BlackRaising awareness in Black and South Asian communities

Working with faith groups

We need more people from Black and Asian communities to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

There is a real shortage of donors from these communities. As a result, Black and Asian people needing a transplant have to wait longer for a suitable organ than those from the general population.

If more people registered, more lives could be saved . That is why we are working closely with faith leaders to try and tackle this shortage. We also want to urge those already on the Register to discuss their decision with their families to make sure their choices are honoured.

We have been holding faith sessions in London and Greater London to provide a platform for discussion around organ donation and religion. A special summit is being held to conclude these sessions. This event will bring together faith leaders, community representatives and health professionals to develop an action plan that will raise the rate of consent for organ donation within BME communities and help make organ donation part of everyone´s culture and tradition in the longer term.

The Faith and Organ Donation Summit will be facilitated by Professor Gurch Randhawa, Professor of Diversity in Public Health at Bedfordshire University.

If you want to help us, here's how you can get involved:

  • Sick AsianRegister now as an organ donor. And don’t forget to discuss your wishes with your family and encourage them – and friends – to register too
  • Support us on Facebook and help spread the word by sharing our page with friends.
  • Follow us on Twitter and help us by retweeting our messages to your own followers
  • Talk to your faith leader about organ donation and ask them to share messages with the congregations
  • Run your own campaign within your community, workplace or place of worship. We have a range of leaflets and posters available for you to order free of charge to help you run your own campaign. All the material has been specially designed to get across the message that more Black and South Asian donors are needed. You can order them here, or download the material
  • Share your story. Be proud to have signed up to the Register, or to have donated a loved one's organs, or even to have received a transplant yourself. You should be. If you have a story which you wish to share with us, please get in touch at campaigns@nhsbt.nhs.uk

 

 

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