A life-saving initiative kicks off in Stratford-upon-Avon at the Stratford Butterfly Farm next week.
The aim of the Donor Town Project is to come together as a town and community to promote, support and save lives through organ donation. It aims to increase the number of people who make their wishes known to their loved ones and sign the organ donor register.
The title of ‘Donor Town’ will be passed on to the next town after 12 months and the town’s knowledge and experience will be shared.
Every day in the UK, three people die waiting for a donor organ. Many of these lives could be saved if more people donated their organs when they died. It only takes two minutes to sign the organ donor register.
A network is formed via local council – businesses – shops – schools – colleges – doctors – dentists – social groups – families – newspapers – radio stations. Every individual, in each business, in each scenario, in each household, in each family makes a commitment to have a conversation with those around them to educate and promote the benefits of organ donation and make their wishes known. The community will show their support by signing the organ donor register and celebrating their involvement proudly with posters in shop windows, window stickers, car stickers, banners on refuse trucks, buses, on local business websites etc.
The Donor Town initiative was founded by Sally Bee, a heart patient with a very rare condition called SCAD. She has survived 5 heart attacks. Sally is a passionate ambassador for organ donation, is a host for the British Transplant Games, and is part of the oversight group to ensure the continued support and education about Organ Donation in the future.
The initiative is officially launched at The Butterfly Farm on Thursday, January 24th.
