Singers Shayne Ward and Loick Essien join Battlefront Campaigners for a special day in Covent Garden to increase number of sign-ups to the Organ Donor Register.
Last month Alexandra Burke and Battlefront campaigners, Hope Milne and Abby Thackray, set a new Guinness World Record for the most sign ups to the organ donor register in one hour.
They got an amazing 321 in 1 hour in October and now they’ve been joined, in Covent Garden once again, by X Factor’s Shayne Ward and singer/rapper Loick Essien to get hundreds more signed up ahead of an important meeting with Health Minister Anne Milton.
Alexandra Burke originally took part in the very special event at London’s historic Covent Garden, pairing up with Battlefront campaigners Hope Milne, 15, from Croydon and Abby Thackray 21, from Epsom to get as many people signed up as possible. Three people die every day waiting for an organ and Alexandra’s mother is herself waiting for a kidney transplant.
Alexandra Burke said: “I’m really pleased with two young girls doing this kind of campaign because my mum got diagnosed with kidney failure a couple of years ago, and she is still in need of a kidney.”
Shayne Ward said “It’s really important to keep going and get more people to sign up to the organ donor register and talk to their families about their wishes. It’s inspirational to see what these girls have been doing”
Hope’s brother had an organ transplant when he was four; the organ was donated by a 14 year old girl. Even though this was eight years ago, Hope and her family have remained in close contact with members of the transplant community. She knows many young people who are waiting for organs. Abby’s sister had a double lung transplant when she was 23.
Hope and Abby want to educate young people about organ donation. Their Battlefront campaign is about increasing the number of people signing the register, but crucially they want to encourage young people to talk to their parents or guardians about their wishes. They are also meeting Health Minister, Anne Milton on the 30th November to discuss the option for organ donation to be added to the electoral roll as an alternative to the “Opt Out” solution.
Battlefront is a Channel 4 project. Find out more about the campaigns at www.battlefront.co.uk. The organ donation episode will air on Sunday 4th December at 8.50am.