The University of Bedfordshire is spearheading a national push to encourage more conversations about organ donation within minority ethnic communities, combining its research with grassroots action in Luton.
Around 7,000 people in the UK are on the waiting list for a transplant and every day someone dies while waiting, yet only about 1,400 people die in circumstances where donation is possible. University research highlights that the shortage is particularly acute among minority ethnic communities.
The initiative, launched during Organ Donation Week (22-28 September), has been funded by NHS Blood and Transplant and is being delivered by student ambassadors, transplant recipients and organ donors from a range of ethnic and faith backgrounds.
It builds on the university’s research showing that tailored messages and trusted messengers are key to encouraging families to discuss donation.
Professor Gurch Randhawa, director of the university’s Institute for Health Research, said: “It’s a privilege to be implementing our research, connecting organ donor families, communities and faith groups to tackle the global problem of too few organ donors. By empowering university student ambassadors and using creative approaches like art, games and quizzes, we can promote open conversations and address the lower rates of organ donation among minority ethnic communities.”
Student ambassadors are working with local partners including the Centre for Youth and Community Development (CYCD) to host events designed to spark dialogue. One such event, Coffee and Conversation, will be held on Wednesday 24 September from 11am to 1pm at CYCD and will be hosted by Councillor Fatima Begum, who has twice received a kidney transplant.
“As a direct beneficiary of organ donation, I know the life-transforming impact it has,” said Cllr Begum. “Each organ donor is a silent hero leaving a permanent mark on the lives they touch. It is exciting to work with university students to raise awareness through activities that engage all generations of our communities.”
The project is led by Dr Britzer Paul Vincent Paul Raj, a research fellow and recipient of the Young Investigator Award from the Asian Society of Transplantation. He said: “Our research shows that younger generations are more open to conversations on organ donation but often lack the opportunity to have them. By training student ambassadors from a wide range of faith and ethnic backgrounds, we are creating trusted leaders who can take these conversations into the heart of their communities.”
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