Many people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities are more likely to develop conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes which means they’re more likely to need an organ transplant.
Yet a survey conducted by the London Assembly Health Committee found 42% of BAME Londoners surveyed are not willing to donate. Many cited cultural or religious reasons.
Tomorrow, the Health Committee will ask living donors, donor recipients, families of deceased donors and charity workers about the barriers of organ donation for people in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.
Guests attending include:
- Lonyo, Actor and musician who had a double kidney transplant
- Orin Lews OBE, Co-founder of the African & Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT)
- Akua Kezia, Author of ‘Transplant Girl’ and had a liver transplant at age 14
The meeting will take place on Thursday 10 January 2019 at 2pm in The Chamber, City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE via webcast or YouTube
Follow us @LondonAssembly and take part in the meeting discussion using #AssemblyHealth and #BAMEDonor
Notes to editors
- Dr Onkar Sahota AM, Chair of the Health Committee is available for interview. See contact details below.
- London Assembly Health Committee
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Funmi Olutoye on 020 7084 2713. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.