A University of York student has began campaigning to get more of us to sign onto the organ donor register.
Following the hospitalisation of his close friend and second-year student Matthew Stein, Adam Bennett, a fellow student, arranged a ‘Derwent Donor Day’ to cheer him up.
The event, which was promoted via Facebook, took place Wednesday Week five, with Bennett and friends camping out in D-Bar, handing out leaflets and signing people up on the spot.
Speaking to Vision Adam said, “Matt had mentioned to me in the past he wanted to do an organ donor drive at some point. However, when it became obvious his condition had begun to deteriorate and he himself would be too unwell, I decided to organise a donation day to try and cheer him up and to get people to sign up.”
Computer Sciences student, Matthew Stein underwent a lung transplant in 2008 following a severe case of pneumonia. However, his body has began rejecting the transplant, and after spending the Christmas holidays in Hospital, his lung function had reduced such that he hasn’t been able to return to study this term.
He is currently undergoing radiotherapy, and although the condition has drastically decreased his life expectancy, Stein will hope to return to the University where he was once such an active member – including being a contributor to Vision.
Bennett has been pleased with the successes they’ve achieved so far. “The campaign for raising awareness about organ donation and Matt’s story has been far more successful than I ever imagined. If support continues I’ll put on another event for people to sign up.”
According to the NHS, over 10,000 people in the UK are currently on transplant waiting lists, and of these 1,000 each year die due to the lack of organs available. Only 29% of the population are registered donors.
To join the Donator Register you can do so at www.organdonation.nhs.uk, or at the campus Health Centre.