This Inter Faith Week, talk about organ donation and register your decision

This Inter Faith Week (10 - 17 November), NHS Blood and Transplant is encouraging people to think about organ donation within the context of their faith or belief.

8 November 2019

This Inter Faith Week (10th to 17th November) 1, NHS Blood and Transplant is encouraging people to think about organ donation within the context of their faith or belief. Faith and belief leaders, and individuals who follow a faith or belief, are encouraged to discuss organ donation both within their own communities and on social media. It’s important to make an organ donation decision, register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register, and share your decision with your loved ones ahead of the law change in Spring 2020.

A survey carried out earlier this year on Black and Asian adults in England revealed that when asked why they might not donate, one of the top reasons given was that they thought organ donation is against their culture or religion 2. 

During Inter Faith Week, NHS Blood and Transplant will be sharing real-life stories of people from different faiths and beliefs on our social channels, to highlight the need for more people of faith or belief to register as organ donors. A great way to show your support for organ donation, and to encourage other people to find out more, is to download and share the relevant faith or belief donor card.

You could even print, write your own message, and take photos with this selfie board. Share this photo on your own social media channels, and start the discussion on how organ donation ties in with your faith or belief.

We encourage you to like and share any content using the hashtags #interfaithweek #passiton #OrganDonation 

If you are undecided about your organ donation decision, and follow a faith or belief, we encourage you to start the conversation this Inter Faith Week. Talk to your faith or belief leaders, and others within your faith or belief community. We also encourage you to visit the relevant faith or beliefs page to find information to help you make your decision.

Each major faith and a Humanist perspective on organ donation is considered, and there are real life stories that you can view. Moreover, you can find leaflets translated into several languages that explain how organ donation ties in with your faith or beliefs. NHS Blood and Transplant has also created videos that dispel the myths surrounding organ donation.

To give further reassurance about how organ donation can go ahead in line with a person’s faith or belief, a new option has been added to the NHS Organ Donor Register form. When you register as an organ donor, you can now state on the registration whether or not you would like the NHS to speak to your family, and anyone else appropriate, about how organ donation can go ahead in line with your faith or belief system. 

Notes

  1. Inter Faith Week aims to strengthen inter faith relations, increase awareness of the different faith communities in the UK and increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs.
  2. NHS Blood and Transplant commissioned a survey of 1063 black and Asian adults 18+ living in England using a quota sample, during March 2019. 22% said they thought that organ donation was against their culture or religion.