Black and Asian Communities

Welsh athletics legend and Tell a Loved One campaigner Colin Jackson talks about the desperate shortage of donors from black and Asian communities in Wales and why he is urging more people to follow his lead and join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Being black and Welsh I’m proud to have made a lasting record of my organ donation wishes by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register and telling my loved ones.

Did you know? Black and Asian People are three times more likely to need a kidney transplant than the general population.

It’s important to me because when I die I want to help give others a second chance by donating my organs for transplant. Lots of other people in Wales have done the same thing too, which is great to see, but sadly there is still a desperate shortage of donors and no more so than from black and Asian communities.

I was surprised to learn about this fact because I know how kind hearted the people of Wales are and that as a nation we always do our best to help. That is why I believe there are lots of black and Asian people in Wales who want to do their bit, but maybe just haven’t got round to joining the register yet or for one reason or another think they can’t.

Did you know? Typically fewer than 2% of all deceased donors in the UK are black or Asian.
 
I know that one of the big reasons stopping some black and Asian people from joining is that they think their religion forbids them from doing so, but in fact all the major religions in Wales and the UK support organ donation. You’ll be able to find out more about this subject in the religious perspectives section on this website.

Although organs are colour-blind, the matches for kidney transplants tend to be better when the donor comes from the some population group. That means black and Asian people needing a kidney transplant – some just young children – are having to wait typically twice as long as other members of the public simply because a suitable donor can’t be found. There are lots of black and Asian people needing kidney transplants across the UK. We are more prevalent to conditions like high-blood pressure and diabetes. 

It is so important that more black and Asian people in Wales know about the shortage of donors and how it is affecting people needing a transplant in their communities, and more importantly how they can help change this.

Did you know? Black and Asian celebrities already signed-up to the NHS Organ Donor Register include comedians Gina Yashere and Curtis Walker, EastEnders actress Nina Wadia and of course Wales’ very own Colin Jackson.

Please think about organ donation, discuss your wishes with your family and friends and join the NHS Organ Donor Register. You could make a life-saving difference.

Thank you

Colin Jackson CBE

For more information on the shortage of black and Asian donors please click here or register now