2009
- Donor Family Network - Coffee Raise Month - May 2009
- ERS course – Lung transplantation: sharing experience across Europe - Belgium
- Donor families national event, Birmingham
- The British 10K London Run
- The precious gift 2009 – Donor Family Network thanksgiving service
- National Transplant Week
- 32nd British Transplant Games
- British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) annual conference
- BUPA Great North Run (Gateshead/Newcastle)
Merging of Transplant Times with Bulletin Magazine
Transplant Times has now been incorporated into Bulletin Magazine.
The next issue of Bulletin will be out in July. Please send any contributions to bulletin@nhsbt.nhs.uk by 29 May.
NHSBT partners with Bodyworlds to promote donation
NHS Blood and Transplant is partnering with the educational science exhibition Body Worlds to promote blood and organ donation. The Body Worlds and the Mirror of Time exhibition runs at the O2 Arena in London until the end of August 2009.
The exhibition has been developed by Gunther von Hagens, who is well known for preserving bodies and then presenting them in various poses, offering a unique insight into the complexity and beauty of the human body.
As a health partner, NHSBT has been provided with a permanent display space at the O2 Arena. Visitors can fill in organ and blood donation registration forms and leave them in a secure posting box.
Changing the way organ donation requests are made could prevent relatives denying consent
Results of recent research announced by BMJ online
Timing and whether a transplant coordinator makes the request are key factors in whether relatives consent to organ donation, according to a study published on bmj.com today.
Demand for organs far exceeds supply and in the UK this results in one patient on the transplant waiting list dying every day. One of the biggest barriers to increased donor rates is the refusal of consent by relatives.
A recent audit of 341 deaths in intensive care units in the UK revealed that 41% of relatives of potential donors denied consent. In an interview study a third of relatives who had refused donation said that they would not refuse again, whereas only a few of people who had given consent regretted their decision.
Lead author Dr Duncan Young, from John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, believes that given the refusal from relatives blocks so many transplants from going ahead, it is important to find out what factors would help them uphold the wishes of their next of kin.
The authors carried out a review of 20 studies on organ donation to investigate what factors either encouraged or discouraged relatives to consent.
Two issues had the strongest effect on relatives: timing and the person making request. It is essential that a request for organ donation does not take place when notification of death is communicated to relatives or when brain stem death testing takes place – it is very important that there is a gap between ‘bad news’ and a request for donation, say the authors.
The person making the request is also key and the study concludes that in an ideal situation a donor transplant coordinator together with hospital staff would make the request.
Contact
Dr Duncan Young,
Consultant in Critical Care,
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
Tel: 01865 220 621
Email: duncan.young@nda.ox.ac.uk
Donor Family Network “Coffee-Raise” month - May 2009
Raise funds for the Donor Family Network and promote organ and tissue donation in May.
Hold a coffee morning during May - sell cakes, organise a raffle, sell our pin badges and talk about organ donation.
Posters, details and lots more available via the Donor Family Network website.
Donor Family Network, PO Box 13825, Birmingham B42 9DJ.:
Tel: 0845 680 1954
Email: info@donorfamilynetwork.co.uk
Web: www.donorfamilynetwork.co.uk
'Transplant Star' diamond is forever
The UK’s largest organ donor charity, The Transplant Trust, has launched an exciting nationwide competition to find the UK’s Transplant Star – with the chance to win a dazzling £2,500 sparkler.
The person, or group, who raises the most money and has the most innovative ideas for doing so, will win a piece of jewellery made especially for them, with a stunning diamond worth over £2,500 as its centrepiece.
Named “The Transplant Star”, the 0.50ct stone is sure to generate stiff competition among those trying to win it. The diamond has been donated by W E Clark and Son of Lewes, a jeweller to a number of celebrities in the South East.
The competition runs until 30 May 2009. The winner will be announced during National Transplant Week 5-15 July 2009.
Entry forms and the full rules and regulations for the competition can be found on The Transplant Trust’s website at www.thetransplanttrust.org.uk, or by writing to The Transplant Trust, 2nd Floor, Albion House, Albion Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2NF.
Kidney recipient takes on Everest
Renal patient Tony Ward (pictured left) and his wife, Bridget, are actively involved in raising funds on behalf of Kidney Research UK (£20,000 and counting) and awareness of the ODR. They do this through organising and participating in a number of high profile and physically demanding challenges.
In May they are hoping to climb the North Col of Mount Everest during a four week expedition that would see Tony become the first transplant recipient to spend significant time above 4,000 metres. If successful in his final ascent of the North Col (7,066 metres) he would become the first recipient to climb beyond 6,400 metres.
More information:
Thursday 18 June - Saturday 20 June 2009
European Respiratory Society (ERS) course –
Lung transplantation: sharing experience across Europe,
Leuven, Belgium
TThe next ERS School Course is now open for registrations. This course is CME accredited and provides the opportunity for participants to update their knowledge on lung transplantation in an interactive and dynamic environment. Participants will also be able to share their queries with world experts in order to find solutions to current clinical problems.
The course will provide state-of-the-art knowledge of various issues, including:
- referral and selection criteria for potential lung transplant candidates
- supply, management and selection of suitable donor organs
- early and long-term management issues of lung transplant recipients
- management of immunosuppression and its side effects
- organisational structure and practical aspects of running a lung transplant programme.
Course Organisers: Annette Boehler, Andrew Fisher and Geert Verleden
For detailed course information and to register:
http://dev.ersnet.org/852-lung-transplantation.htmor
Contact
Elmira Lechat
Educational Project Coordinator
ERS School
4 Ave Ste-Luce
CH 1003 Lausanne
Switzerland
Tel:+41 21 213 01 85
Fax: +41 21 213 01 03
Email: elmira.lechat@ersnet.org
For more information on this and other courses run by the ERS School please visit:
www.ersnet.org/schoolcourses
Donor families national event, Birmingham
The Donor Family Network (reg. charity 1098781) is hosting the third national gathering for donor families, 9.30am-4pm, at the Tally Ho Sports and Conference Centre in Birmingham. The event is open to all donor families and the day consists of workshops (including children’s craft workshops), exhibitions, a special ceremony of recognition and the opportunity to meet other donor families and make new friends.
There will be no charge for the day with lunch and refreshments provided.
More information (and a booking form):
Donor Family Network
PO Box 13825
Birmingham B42 9DJ
Tel: 0845 680 1954
Email: info@donorfamilynetwrok.co.uk
Web: www.donorfamilynetwork.co.uk
The precious gift 2009 – Donor Family Network thanksgiving service, Birmingham
A service of hope and thanksgiving for donor and recipient families, professionals and anyone interested in organ and tissue donation. All welcome.
St Margaret’s Church, Chapel Lane, Great Barr, Birmingham – followed by refreshments at the Memorial Hall, Chapel Lane.
Directions: Junction 7 M6, A34 towards Walsall. First intersection on right ( Chapel Lane) past the Holiday Inn. Church 400 yards on the right. Parking on the road or behind the church.
More information:
Donor Family Network, PO Box 13825, Birmingham B42 9DJ.
Tel: 0845 680 1954
Email: info@donorfamilynetwrok.co.uk
Web: www.donorfamilynetwork.co.uk
Sunday 5 July 2009 – Sunday 12 July 2009
National Transplant Week
National Transplant Week is run by The Transplant Trust.
For further information and details please contact:
Anna Perkins
Fundraising Manager
The Transplant Trust.
Email: anna@thetransplanttrust.org.uk
Web: www.thetransplanttrust.org.uk
The British 10K London Run
The Transplant Trust has places reserved for the British 10K London Run taking place on Sunday 12 July 2009.
Contact
Anna Perkins
Tel: 07786 367 572
Email: anna@thetransplanttrust.org.uk
www.thetransplanttrust.org.uk
32nd British Transplant Games
University of Warwick, Coventry
The 32nd British Transplant Games will be held in Coventry from 30 July to 2 August 2009 in conjunction with the University of Warwick.
For further information and details of our volunteer programme, please contact Transplant Sport at office@transplantsport.org.uk, or emma.dean@mls.gb.com
Monday 14 September – Wednesday 16 September
British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) annual conference
The British Association of Critical Care Nurses is one of the largest critical care organisations in the UK. The annual conference has a reputation for delivering imaginative programmes that are educationally stimulating and informative. The conference welcomes all professionals within the critical care field regardless of level or grade.
This year’s event takes place in Northern Ireland’s capital city, Belfast (Waterfront Hall) and incorporates the prestigious international conference: “An international perspective: cementing alliances and forging success”.
Abstract submissions and delegate bookings can be made via the conference website and BACCN members are entitled to a discount.
Book before 26 June to receive an additional early booking discount.
Details: www.baccnconference.org.uk
BUPA Great North Run (Gateshead/Newcastle)
Guaranteed charity places for “To Transplant and Beyond”
If anyone is interested in running for a worthy cause at one of the biggest sporting events in the UK, why not consider taking up an offer to join the “To Transplant and Beyond” team and help raise money for charity?
Contact:
John Fisher: 0800 955 66 55
Email: john@tab.co.uk
www.heart-transplants.co.uk
Saturday 15 - Tuesday 18 May 2010
Florence 2010
Immune-related Gene Polymorphism in Health and Disease
24th European Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Conference (EFI) and
17th Annual Meeting of Italian Society for Immunogenetics and Transplantation (AIBT)
Registration and abstract submission opens on 1 October 2009
www.efi2010.eu
Contact:
Organising Secretariat
Tel: +39 02 2643 2454
Fax +39 02 2643 3754
Email: info@efi2010.eu