Organ Donation

Winners of National Transplant Week film competition 2012 announced

DJ Edith Bowman praises 'heart' of inspiring filmmakers

The winners of a film competition to mark National Transplant Week (9-15 July) and raise awareness of the importance of organ donation were announced today.

The competition, Organ Donation Through A Lens, saw a nationwide search for amateur film makers to encourage people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) and passon the message to their family and friends so their wishes are known.

DJ and presenter Edith Bowman joined a panel of judges to view a shortlist of 10 films. The winner was announced at a prize giving ceremony held at a central London location today.

Edith Bowman said:

"The level of film making by the applicants is amazing and the films are an inspiration. They show real heart and creativity while communicating a very powerful message of the importance of signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and passing on your wishes to your friends and family."

The winning categories are as follows:

Overall winner was Paul Dallison from Liverpool with his film 'The 4th Emergency Service'. All the judges agreed that this film met the brief the best mixing acted scenes and heart wrenching, real life case studies. Paul had spoken with an organ recipient, someone waiting for an organ and the family of someone who sadly died waiting for a donor, making for a truly inspirational film.

Edith commented on the winning film:

"The 4th Emergency Service just seemed to hit the right note with the tone, the message and also creativity. It was clever, funny, informative and a great piece of film making."

'Best film for an 18-25 year old audience' was won by Marcus Mehta for his film 'Organ Donation'. At the age of 21 Marcus went into end-stage liver failure and was given just three weeks to live, his film follows his story and shows how he now lives his life to the full. He is currently training to become a doctor at Nottingham University to help people in the same way he was helped. Judges felt his film was a wonderful celebration of life showing just how life-changing organ donation can be.

'Best film for a junior audience' was awarded to Alison King and Helen Knight for their film 'Psst...Pass it on'. Starring children from Blackrod Church Primary school in Bolton and three nurses who have each received organ transplants, the judges felt that the story is told in a simple but compelling way really portraying the key 'Pass it on' message.

'Most creative film' was awarded to Alfie Barker for his film 'Imagine'.

'Best use of case study' was jointly awarded to Antonio Ferrara and Lou Armit for their film 'Jamie and Carols story' and Phil McGuire for his film 'Organ Donation.'

Film makers Antonio and Lou's film relays the emotional story of Carol whose son Jamie, died in a motorbike accident when he was 24. Whilst Jamie was alive he had discussed organ donation with his mum, which led her to make the decision for him to become an organ donor and to help people even after his death.

Phil McGuire's film follows the story of his son Joshua who was diagnosed with kidney failure when he was a baby. His parents were told he probably wouldn't make it through the night. Joshua managed to survive for two years without having dialysis before his kidney function failed and he was put onto the transplant list. Joshua received a new kidney in March 1994 and is now a healthy young man.

Nigel Burton who, along with his wife Sue, made the difficult decision to donate his 16-year-old son's organs when he died, is now the Vice Chairman of the Donor Family Network and was a judge on the film competition panel.

He said:

"All the films we received were so powerful and really helped to spread the message of passing on your wishes to your family and friends. It is such an important conversation to have with your loved ones that may seem difficult at first but could potentially save other people's lives."

All the films have been hosted on the National Transplant Week YouTube channel www.youtube.com/transplantweek where the public have been voting for the winner of the People's Favourite award. The site received over 16,500 views and the overall winner was awarded to Alison King and Helen Knight for their film 'Psst...Pass it on' with 3,987 views overall. Viewers commented that the film was 'great, different and very upbeat and positive in the delivery of a very serious message' and 'amazing!'

Don't forget to keep watching out on www.facebook.com/organdonationuk and follow us on twitter @NHSBT for more information about this year's National Transplant Week. To view the shortlisted films visit the Transplant Week YouTube channel on www.youtube.com/transplantweek. You can also find out more information at www.transplantweek.co.uk

Ends

For further information please contact the NHSBT Press Office on 01923 367600/email pressoffice@nhsbt.nhs.uk or Jenny Bowers on 0207 025 6444/email jenny.bowers@redconsultancy.com

Notes to editors

•  To add your name to the NHS Organ Donor Register, please call 0300 123 2323, Text JOIN to 84880 or visit www.transplantweek.co.uk
• National Transplant Week runs from 9 - 15 July 2012
• NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England and North Wales. It is also the organ donor organisation for the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs
• The NHS Organ Donor Register records the details of people who have registered their wishes to donate organs and/or tissue after their death for transplantation. After someone has died, this information is checked by authorised medical staff to establish whether a person wanted to donate
• Anyone can register on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Age is not a barrier to being an organ or tissue donor and neither are most medical conditions. People in their 70s and 80s have become organ donors and saved many lives. The oldest recorded cornea donor was 102 years old
• One donor can save or transform up to nine lives and many more can be helped through the donation of tissues
• Between April 2010 - March 2011, more than 7,300 organ and cornea transplants were carried out in the UK, thanks to the generosity of deceased and living donors - the highest on record.