On Monday, I was pleased to attend the release of the inquiry report: ‘Where are our nation’s donors?', which has looked into the inequity faced by the UK’s mixed heritage and ethnic minority population.
The report reveals stark inequalities in the availability of well-matched donors for minority ethnic patients on the blood, stem cell and organ donor registers.
The most startling discovery, as revealed by the APPG for Ethnicity Transplantation and Transfusion, is how little hard data is available.
To better deal with an issue, you need to fully understand it. That is not possible with the current level of data we collect about organ donation and demand.
Daily, lives are being lost.
There is work to be done. First, we must recognise the need for work. I support the APPG in calling for a greater focus on achieving equity for organ donation.
We should all feel comfortable with joining the NHS Organ Donor Register - if we would be willing to receive an organ or blood transfusion to save our life, we should be just as willing to donate an organ or blood to save someone else's life.
Families are much more likely to support donation if they know it is what their loved one wanted.
Part of this is to be willing to speak openly with our family to make clear our feelings.
