Charities
Bill Bryson’s Organ Donation Campaign
It’s not every day that St Christopher’s get to talk to Bill Bryson and as a thank you we decided to try and help out with a very worthy cause, supported by Bill.
In March Bill returned to Durham University to continue his work as Chancellor and promote a cause very close to his heart. Bill is working with the Durham Students’ Union and Durham University Charities ‘Kommittee’ (DUCK) to try and help his friend Oli.
Oli is in desperate need of a new heart and lungs and his situation opened Mr Bryson’s eyes to the plight of the 500 people who die every year in the UK, waiting for transplants.
Oli from Milton Keynes has cystic fibrosis and urgently needs the transplant but the chances of getting one are 50/50 because so many people do not donate organs.
Mr Bryson said: “The money and the technology are there, just not the organs. We want everyone to sign up.
“I started by signing up my whole family and then I thought...hold on, I have access to all these good, kindly young people at Durham who would be able to help too.”
This campaign started as a two day event in Durham and based on the phenomenal success so far, Mr Bryson is taking it to the world at large.
Chancellors from universities all over the country are being invited to get involved and early forecasts estimate that up to 150,000 students could be signed up in the next year alone.
Mr Bryson said: “We're trying to get access to as many students as possible; I've sent out an email, we've got leaflets, and we've been going into lecture halls and will be going into dining halls too. There is a need for people to sign up now.”
Dr. Brian Gibbons, Minister for Health and Social Services, said: “UK Transplant’s campaign gives the opportunity to make a real difference for those who want to help, but haven’t joined the register yet.”
Mr Bryson discovered that statistically 90% of people would be happy to donate their organs but only 20% actually get round to signing the organ donation register.
He added: "No religion actually argues against it and it seems a perfectly good spiritual thing to give part of your body to someone else, but this is a very personal thing, and if you object to it, then you shouldn’t sign up for it.
"I think it’s a good thing for people to think about, as when you’re young, you don’t think you’ll die, so it’s an interesting issue.”
Organ donation is a very worthwhile cause and something very close to my own heart. After a horrific incident involving my sister Gemma at Light Water Valley Theme Park, I was faced with the horrible inevitability that her life support machine would have to be turned off.
She did not have an organ donor card but I knew it was what she wanted and as hard as it was, me and my family made the decision to donate her organs. Because of my sister’s bravery and sacrifice the lives of five people were saved.
No one wants to face the prospect of dying or losing someone they love but if something so awful does happen, something good can come out of it.
You can sign up to the UK organ donation register by visiting: www.uktransplant.org.uk
