Go on, become an organ donor.

Regular readers will know that this blog is opposed in principle to 'presumed consent' - that's the presumption that we are all content that our organ should be donated unless we make a prior declaration otherwise. I realise that there are strong counter arguments, and that leading figures at both the National Assembly and the UK Government take the opposite view. I also accept that there is a desperate need for more organs to be available for transplant. It follows that I greatly welcome the launch today of a campaign to persuade more of us to carry donor cards.

Today is World Kidney Day, and the campaign is being driven by Kidney Wales Foundation and the Assembly Government. Tomorrow, a local campaigning group I'm involved in is holding a coffee morning in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire to support the development of a renal dialysis unit at the local Hospital. I will be there, trying to persuade all the coffee drinkers to telephone 0845 60 60 200 or text 64118 or visit donatewales.org For some reason 5% more people in Scotland have joined the organ donation register than have joined in Wales. That translates into a lot of otherwise healthy people dying while languishing on a waiting list. While I'm not in favour of 'presumed consent', I am all in favour of persuading people to become donors when ever possible.