NEW figures show that just 45 per cent of families agree to organ donation going ahead if they are unaware of their decesased loved one’s decision to be a donor but this figure rises to 95 per cent when they know the decision.

To mark the start of this year’s National Transplant Week, Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson has highlighted the importance of telling family and friends your donation decision.

Mr Stephenson attended at a recent event at the Houses of Parliament organised by NHS Blood and Transplant and the British Kidney Patient Association spelling out their wish to be an organ donor.

The aim of this year’s Transplant Week campaign is to get people to ‘spell out’ their donation decision to increase awareness that families will be asked to agree to organ donation and to encourage more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Mr Stephenson said: “Letting your loved ones know you want to be an organ donor is so important.

“It is devastating for families when someone they love passes away so it’s not fair to expect them to have to make the decision for you.

“If you talk openly to your family about your decision to donate your organs it could save them a great deal of stress when you die.”

On average three people a day die in need of an organ transplant in the UK because there aren’t enough organs available.

Despite the thousands of life-saving transplant operations which take place every year, around 10,000 people are currently in need of a lifesaving organ transplant.