NEARLY 25 people in Cumbria have died in the last four years due to a lack of organ donors.

And the waiting list shows that 66 people in Cumbria currently need a transplant operation.

The statistics were highlighted in a new campaign this week to both encourage people to donate their organs and talk about donating before it’s too late.

NHS Blood and Transplant is behind the campaign during National Transplant Week 2013 from today until July 14.

This year’s theme is 'Pass It On' which aims to stress the importance of talking about organ donation as well as joining the official NHS Organ Donor Register.

Information shows that 95 per cent of families will sanction organ donations - providing they have had a discussion before their loved one dies.

But many suitable healthy organs are never passed on because donations fall to just 46 per cent when families have not discussed it before their relative’s death.

NHS Blood and Transplant is encouraging people in Cumbria to watch new films about the issue at http://www.youtube.com/transplantweek

They also want families to talk to those closest to them about their donation wishes and sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Sally Johnson, for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “Last year, 36 people in Cumbria benefitted from life-saving transplants.

"To help more people we need everyone, including the 152,978 people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in Cumbria, to talk to their loved ones about their donation wishes.”

“We need a transformation in donor and family consent to organ donation because the UK’s family refusal rate remains one of the highest in Europe."

Besides having the donation conversation, signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register remains important.

To register visit www.transplantweek.co.uk, call 0300 123 2323 or text DONATE to 62323.

For further information about National Transplant Week go to www.transplantweek.co.uk, join the group on Facebook at NHS Organ Donation Campaign, or follow them on Twitter @NHSOrganDonor and #passiton.