Edith Bowman wants us to pass it on
Edith Bowman is helping to support and raise awareness for National Transplant Week, which takes place from today.
Each year 1,000 people (three a day) die waiting for a transplant as there are not enough organs available so we need to try and encourage people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register.
Organ Donation Through A Lens is a film competition to mark this health week and raise awareness of the importance of organ donation, the winners were announced recently.
The competition, Organ Donation Through A Lens, saw a nationwide search for amateur film makers to encourage people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) and pass on the message to their family and friends so their wishes are known.
Radio presenter Edith Bowman joined a panel of judges to view a shortlist of 10 films.
Edith Bowman said:
“The level of film making by the applicants is amazing and the films are an inspiration. They show real heart and creativity while communicating a very powerful message of the importance of signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and passing on your wishes to your friends and family.”
Paul Dallison from Liverpool was the overall winner with his film ‘The 4th Emergency Service’. All the judges agreed that this film met the brief the best mixing acted scenes and heart wrenching, real life case studies. Paul had spoken with an organ recipient, someone waiting for an organ and the family of someone who sadly died waiting for a donor, making for a truly inspirational film.
Edith commented on the winning film:
“The 4th Emergency Service just seemed to hit the right note with the tone, the message and also creativity. It was clever, funny, informative and a great piece of film making.”
There was also another number of categories that were recognised, including Best Film for a Junior Audience, Most Creative Film and Best Use of a Case Study.
Nigel Burton who, along with his wife Sue, made the difficult decision to donate his 16-year-old son’s organs when he died, is now the Vice Chairman of the Donor Family Network and was a judge on the film competition panel.
He said:
“All the films we received were so powerful and really helped to spread the message of passing on your wishes to your family and friends. It is such an important conversation to have with your loved ones that may seem difficult at first but could potentially save other people’s lives.”
All the films have been hosted on the National Transplant Week YouTube channel www.youtube.com/transplantweek where the public have been voting for the winner of the People’s Favourite award.
Don’t forget to keep watching out on www.facebook.com/organdonationuk and follow us on twitter @NHSBT for more information about this year’s National Transplant Week.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
Tagged in Health Edith Bowman