YOU may be quite “attached” to it, but the most valuable gift you could give this Christmas is free.

Health bosses are calling for donors to help save the lives of 173 people in Lancashire waiting for a transplant by giving an organ.

Ten patients have died in the county while stuck on a waiting list this year, while 111 have received a transplant.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Colne man Kevin Vickers received a kidney transplant in 2004, allowing him to enjoy Christmas dialysis-free for the first time in five years.

He suffers from Alports Syndrome, a hereditary genetic condition that can cause kidney failure, and may need another transplant in the future.

He said: “I try not to think about it too much, but I know that again I will be dependant on the kindness of strangers to make the decision to donate the organs of a loved one.

“My transplant means everything to me. It means having a career instead of being too ill to work, it means being able to go on holiday without tons of equipment and it means I don’t have to dialyse any more.”

North West specialist nurse in organ donation, Ben Armstrong, added: “Organ donors save or improve the quality of life of seriously ill patients. For many patients a transplant is the only option left and their life depends on families agreeing to donate.

“I urge people in Lancashire to join the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell those closest to them their decision. I know that many families find it easier to support donation when they know their loved one wanted to be an organ donor.”

To join the NHS Organ Donor Register, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk, call 0300 123 23 23 or text SAVE to 62323.