Ireland: Big rise in organ donations

[Clark]

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=19357

Big rise in organ donations

There has been a major increase in the number of organ donors and transplants so far this year.

There have already been more lung transplants in the first six months of this year than in all of 2010.

According to the Irish Kidney Association, which collates the figures, so far this year there have been 41 deceased donors resulting in 77 kidney transplants, 30 liver transplants, three heart and five lung.

An additional 12 kidney transplants took place this year involving living donors.

There were only 58 deceased donors in all of last year, with 98 kidney transplants taking place in 2010 plus three heart transplants, 38 liver and four lung.

Meanwhile, a team of  33 Irish transplant recipients travelled to Gothenburg in Sweden this week to take part in the 18th World Transplant Games.

The Irish team will be among 1,100 athletes from more than 50 countries participating in games, which start today and run until June 24.

Health Minister James Reilly said as well as being an important event for transplant patients, the games demonstrated the level of health and vitality that can be achieved after transplantation and highlighted the benefits of organ donation.

For information on organ donation, see the Irish Kidney Association website at ika.ie or Locall 1890-543639. For organ donor cards, freetext DONOR to 50050.