Only 1% of BAME Londoners on the organ donor register

According to NHS figures, 62% of Londoners waiting for an organ transplant are either Black or Asian.

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.

Today, the London Assembly Health Committee publishes a survey looking at attitudes towards organ donation within the BAME community. Of BAME Londoners surveyed, it found:

• 42% are not willing to donate with many citing cultural or religious reasons.
• 1% said they are on the organ donor register
• Bangladeshis and Black Africans are the least unwilling demographic to donate
  
  

In order to raise awareness of organ donation within BAME communities, the Health Committee will host the BAME Organ Donor Gala tonight at City Hall.

This special event will feature musical and poetic performances as well as touching stories from living donors, donor recipients and families of deceased donors.

Guests & performers attending include:

• Levi Roots, Businessman & #BAMEdonor supporter
• Richard Blackwood, Actor & Comedian
• AJ Odudu, TV Presenter
• Tessa Sanderson CBE, Olympic Gold medallist
• Armstrong Martins, X Factor 2018 finalist
• B Positive Choir, Britain’s Got Talent 2018 finalists
• Lonyo, Actor and musician who had a double kidney transplant
• Orin Lews OBE, Co-founder of the African & Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT)

The event will take place on Monday 18 January 2019 at 7pm in London’s Living Room, City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).

MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Follow us @LondonAssembly and take part in the meeting discussion using #BAMEDonor