FOUR people in South Tyneside have died while waiting on the transplant list during 2012/13.
Figures provided by NHS Blood and Transplant also show that, as of Thursday, 20 people were waiting on the list for organs including kidneys (14), pancreas (three) liver (two) and a heart.
A total of 12 transplants have been carried out in 2012/13, including five kidney transplants with organs donated from people who had died.
There are currently 38,287 people living in South Tyneside who signed up to the organ donation register, less than one in four.
Meanwhile, across the UK around 10,000 people are currently waiting on the transplant list.
A spokesperson for NHS Blood and Transplant said: “With around 10,000 people needing an organ transplant in the UK and three people dying every day, it’s vital that people show their support for organ donation by signing up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) and telling their families about their wishes.
“An organ donor can save or improve up to nine lives.”
To sign up to the organ donation register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or contact 0300 123 23 23.
