Annette Brooke Links NHS Donor Register to Website for "One Click" Campaign

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Aug 2004

MP supports local launch of NHS Organ Donor Register

Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole has pledged her continued support for a campaign to increase registrations to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Annette has taken her pledge further by creating a direct link "One Click" from her website to that of the UK transplant organisation www.uktransplant.org.uk which already has a database of over 11.3 million people who have said that they want to help other live after their death.

As more and more people use the Internet, the creation of direct links to other websites are a simple tool to increase 'traffic' to a website and can make a huge difference to many important, life saving campaigns.

Annette Brooke said: "I hope that many more organisations will use this simple electronic tool to raise awareness of the UK Transplants Organ Donor register, to increase the number of registrations. As important as registering, individuals must make their loved ones aware of their intentions to help someone after their death so that key organs can help save lives."

By logging on the local MP's website, www.annettebrookemp.org.uk, users can be directed to the NHS UK Transplant site, where there is a huge amount of information and statistics about the benefits of organ donation, and signing up to the register on-line only takes a few minutes. For those without access to the Internet, it only takes a quick call to the Organ Donor line on 0845 60 60 400 to register by phone.

Former Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Lesley Jones, from Bere Regis has been campaigning actively to increase awareness of the Organ Donor Register since her sister was diagnosed with kidney disease and is one of the 5,688 people in this country awaiting a kidney transplant.

The effect on patient's lives is devastating, but so many more transplants - and a high chance of survival - would be possible if more individuals were registered, and if they told their next of kin of their wishes to help someone else's life in the event of their own death.