SAVING a life is about to get easier and the case for doing so even more compelling as The Press steps up its Lifesavers campaign.

To coincide with National Transplant Week this week, we are taking our organ donation drive into the city and have also produced a campaign film, to show why donors are so urgently needed.

The video goes live on our website today. From tomorrow, we will have a stand in St Sampson’s Square in York, inviting people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register, to help prevent thousands of needless deaths each year.

The Lifesavers campaign was launched in December following the death of 22-year-old Miss York finalist Emma Young who suffered from cystic fibrosis and died while awaiting a double lung transplant.

In the film, her father, David, recounts her wait for a donor and urges people to join the register.

He tells the video that donors are needed from the entire breadth of society, adding: “Everyone that dies could be useful to somebody.”

Rob and Kath Aveyard, whose daughter Bryony’s organs were donated after she suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage, also tell their story on the film.

Rob said: “I would plead to everybody to go on the register – it is a life-saving gift.”

The video also features staff from local first-aid provider Yormed and from York Hospital.

Joanne Turner, the hospital’s donor transplant coordinator, said: “It’s one of those things that people think about a lot but never get round to doing.

“Families who unfortunately find themselves in circumstances where a loved one needs a transplant know it’s a waiting game and they know the possibility is that they might not receive a transplant in time and it must be an awful situation to be in.”

• Our stand will be in St Sampson’s Square from 9am to 5pm starting tomorrow.

View the Lifesavers campaign film>>