Let them see what they can only imagine
Every day we need 10 cornea donations to meet patients’ needs, but we’re currently falling short of this target
On World Sight Day in October we launched our ‘Let them see what they can only imagine’ campaign to encourage more people to sign up to cornea donation after their death and share this decision with those closest to them.
Laura, a mum from London, said, “By the time I had my first transplant I couldn’t see out of my right eye. It was just grey. I could see light and dark but no definition at all.
“After both transplants my vision was still blurry at first, but…I could see colours and definition. The blurring eventually settled and the vision is good.
“I can walk through a crowded train station without bumping into people! Drive confidently at night, sit back in my chair not glued to within an inch of my screen at work! And now I can see my son’s lovely little face!
“I feel forever grateful to my donor and their family. Words are not enough to express my gratitude.”
- Read more about Laura's story on the NHSBT Organ Donation site
- Download social media assets and posters and help raise awareness
Who can donate?
Like organ and most tissue donation, corneas are donated after death with the consent of next-of-kin. You are more likely to be able to donate your corneas than your organs as age, poor eyesight, and medical conditions (including some cancers) are not necessarily a barrier to donation.
Here’s how you can help support our campaign:
- If you have registered but aren’t sure if you said yes to cornea donation, you can update your preferences here.
- If you aren’t already registered, do join! Most people choose to donate all organs and tissues. But if you’d like to select your preference please say yes to cornea donation
- Like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our NHS Organ Donation channel on YouTube. Like, share and retweet our videos to help to spread our message.
- Start conversations about cornea donation; get people thinking and talking about it!
In this issue of The Donor magazine
- Improving your experience of donating
- When giving blood is just what the doctor orders!
- Christmas messages
- Why we need more black blood donors
- Winter news
- Donors could give blood more often
- New steps towards lab-produced platelets
- Getting on like a house on fire with the fire service
- John donates in style
- Public inquiry into blood safety
- What happens when you give blood
- I just saved my neighbour's life