Facebook Link To NHS Organ Donor Register

Facebook users can now register to become organ donors on the website as part of an effort to encourage more younger people to sign up.

A new 'health and wellbeing' button on the site's timeline will enable people to share their thoughts on organ transplants, including their intention to become a donor.

Users can then click through to the register on NHS Blood and Transplant's (NHSBT) Facebook page if they want to.

The move has been welcomed by Philip Barton whose six-year-old son Kian was saved by a liver and kidney transplant.

Describing the move by the website as a "massively positive step", Mr Barton encouraged people to write about their feelings on the subject of organ donation on the site.

"People don't realise that there are children waiting for transplants," he said.

"I think this new venture is brilliant because Facebook has such a large demographic and it is increasing in popularity. 

"We need to get as many people as possible on to the register."

There are currently around 10,000 people in need of a transplant in the UK and three people die every day while on the waiting list.

Mark Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook in 2004 while a student at Harvard University, said it is important that the website addresses social problems.

"There simply aren't enough organ donors to meet the need," he wrote on Facebook.

"Medical experts believe that broader awareness about organ donation could go a long way toward solving this crisis.

"And we believe that by simply telling people that you're an organ donor, the power of sharing and connection can play an important role."

NHSBT 's Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation Sally Johnson said more people need to sign up to the register.

"Our job is to make that as quick and easy as possible," she said.

"This is an exciting new way to use the power of social media to reach a huge audience and encourage people to think about it, act, and share that information."

More than 900 million people globally - and 30 million in the UK - use Facebook.

A similar donor registration scheme has been launched in the US.

©Press Association