Organ Donor Register The Only Solution

For a second time within a year the Parliamentary Health Select Committee have recommended the introduction of an organ donor register.

This time they have gone even further and stated that:

"We do not want the issue of organ donation to wait while legislation is developed and would like to see it resolved expeditiously."

The committee also expressed concerns over the legality of the donors' wishes being overturned " as medical specialists inevitably adhere to the family’s instructions, regardless of a person’s indication on a driver’s licence."

Andy Tookey of GiveLife NZ whose petition to Parliament prompted the select committee inquiry was over the moon at the news of the support from the MP's.

"I have worked hard over the past three years for changes to the organ donor system and this is a further boost to the other initiatives that have recently been announced, progress is being made, I just hope that further red tape does not delay the implementation of these recommendations." Said Tookey.

Tookey, set up the lobby group GiveLife NZ three years ago after discovering that his baby daughter had a rare liver disease and would need a transplant. He discovered that New Zealand has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the Western World, at around 37 donors per year. His daughter, Katie has not yet been placed on the waiting list... for the waiting list.

Despite today's select committee announcement Tookey says there is much more to be done and he is currently lobbying for a law change that will prevent families overturning the wishes of a donor.

For more information: www.givelife.org.nz