Donating blood or organs are the most important things you can do to make a difference to someone else’s life, according to new research which ranks altruistic acts.
A survey of 2,189 adults in England placed blood and organ donation top in a poll of ways that people felt they could make a real difference to other people’s lives.
In the survey carried out in December 2021 respondents were asked: ‘When it comes to making a real difference in people’s lives, which of these do you think are the most important things that someone could do?’
Donating organs or giving blood came out as the two most important steps that people can take.
42% of people citing organ donation as the most important
43% of people saying giving blood was most important.
Other ways people were asked to list in terms of importance included giving to charity, donating to food banks or doing voluntary work.
Respondents said the biggest motivation for giving blood or donating organs was that they could help save or improve someone else’s life.
Other reasons were to help the NHS, that donation is the ‘right thing to do’ and that it ‘feels good’ to do something for others.
One organ donor can save or transform up to nine lives after their death through organ donation and save and transform even more by donating tissue.
In 2020 – 2021, across the UK, 3,391 people had their lives saved thanks to the generosity of 1,180 people who donated their organs after death.
Even though organ donation has moved to an opt out system across England, Scotland and Wales, families will still always be consulted before donation goes ahead.
This means it is still just as important as ever to let your family know what you want to happen – speak with your family to share your decision as well as record it on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
In 2021, 132,172 new blood donors made their first step in making a difference and donated blood. NHSBT needs around 450 donors a day to meet demand.
Blood is needed to help the NHS provide life-saving transfusions to people with blood disorders, as well as for use in trauma emergencies, childbirth, during surgery, and in cancer treatments.
On average around 1.4 million units of blood are issued to hospitals each year.
Blood donation is safe, easy and takes just one hour. Each donation can save or improve up to three lives. People can also donate plasma and platelets at some centres.
Register today and book and appointment by calling 0300 123 23 23, downloading the GiveBloodNHS app, or visiting blood.co.uk
Find out about organ donation, and register your organ donation decision, at organdonation.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. Users of the NHS app can also use this to check, update or register their decision.
