Donate Wales challenges the people of Wales to beat Scotland on the organ donor register as well as on the pitch.

Donate Wales, who lead the campaign for organ donation in Wales, will be challenging Wales and to will the Welsh rugby team to beat Scotland off the pitch as well as on it.

Currently, Scotland has 34% of the Scottish population on the organ donor register whilst Wales has just 27%. Ahead of this Saturday’s Six Nations match.

14 year old Rosie Evans from Cardiff will be challenging us to join the organ register and beat Scotland.

Rosie said ‘I need to have a kidney transplant and Wales needs more organ donors. Later this year I will join the waiting list for a kidney transplant. A new kidney will mean I can live normally again. So please help us beat Scotland and save lives and join the register.’

Chairman of Kidney Wales, Roy J. Thomas said

‘Scotland is a proud Nation and is ahead of Wales in having more people on the organ donor register. We want to challenge this and increase our numbers in Wales on the organ donation register. A person dies every eleven days waiting for a transplant. This could be stopped and must be stopped. Donate Wales is a coalition of 8 organisations who all want to see Wales increase its number of organ donors. Alongside vital support from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Minister, Edwina Hart AM, this sends a clear message that the people of Wales should do their utmost to help us win the battle to save lives. Please join the register.’

People can join the organ donor register by visiting www.donatewales.org calling 0300 123 23 23 or texting SAVE to 84118

Ends

English and Welsh language spokespeople are available for comment. Alison Goldsworthy. Director of Communications and Events on 029 2034 3940 or 07974 353021.

Notes to editors

1.As of Jan 2010 Wales had 27% of the population on the organ donor register, Scotland had 34%. Recent polling shows well over 7 in 10 people in Wales would like to be on the register.

2.Rosie Evans lives in Birchgrove, Cardiff. She recieves support at the Children’s Kidney Centre at the Heath Hospital. Attached is a photograph of her with Rugby stars Shane Williams, Ryan Jones, Jonathan Thomas and Adam Jones

3.Donate Wales is a coalition of 8 orgainsations lead by Kidney Wales Foundation. Incvolved are Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation, Live Life the Give Life, The British Liver Trust, RNIB Cymru, the BMA and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust

4.Over the new year Donate Wales asked people to join the organ donor register for their new years resolution. The campaign was a roaring success with nearly 3 times as many people joining the register as in the same time period the year before.

5.The Donate Wales campaign is supported by the Welsh Assembly Government.