MORE than 5,000 people in our region have signed up to save a life since The Press launched its campaign to improve organ donation rates.

We launched our Lifesavers campaign in December, following the death of 22-year-old Emma Young, who died while awaiting a double-lung transplant. Our aim is to get an extra 20,000 people in our circulation area to sign up to the Organ Donor Register by the end of 2010 – and new figures show we are on course to hit the target.

In the first 100 days, 5,282 signed up to the register – equivalent to almost 53 every day.

The figure includes those who signed up at a special roadshow in York city centre, those who sent back the forms include in The Press, and others who were spurred on by stories of those who had received life-saving transplants.

For more information on organ donation or to join the register, phone 0300 1232323 or visit organdonation.nhs.uk or text SAVE to 84118.