Sick woman's petition to make organ donation opt-out

Jessica Manning has been told she will die within two years without a double organ transplant.

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A sick woman is petitioning Parliament to make organ donation an opt-out system as the UK prepares to enshrine the idea in law.

Jessica Manning started the petition to get people talking about donation after the 25-year-old was told she has two years to live unless she gets a double organ transplant.

Andy Tookey, founder of organ donor awareness campaign Give Life, told Kate Hawkesby a donor's family actually gets the last word on whether their organs can be taken.

"In New Zealand currently still six out of ten say no to organ donations. Now I'm not saying those override the donors wished but if we had the extra sixty percent we would save a lot more lives."

Tookey says the opt-out idea is widely supported in Britain.

"Theresa May, the Prime Minister and all the opposition parties, they have cross-party support throughout parliament to go ahead with this because an extra seven hundred lives being saved is a great thing."

LISTEN ABOVE AS ANDY TOOKEY TALKS TO KATE HAWKESBY Click the link below

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/early-edition/audio/andy-tookey-opt-out-organ-donation-would-ensure-decision-made-by-donor/