People are being urged to talk about organ donation as figures reveal that 13 people in Cumbria gave the gift of life in the last year.

NHS Blood and Transplant has revealed that 15 people in the county underwent the organ transplants they needed in 2019/20, but 38 still need surgery.

Nationally, 1,580 people donated organs last year, benefitting 3,760 people, but there are more than 6,000 patients still awaiting transplants.

In May, an opt-out system was introduced in England, in which it is assumed that a person agrees to donate their organs if they have not registered their decision not to donate.

The move was welcomed by campaigners, such as the family of Carlisle toddler Mackenzie Wealleans, who died in 2011, days before his second birthday, while waiting for a heart transplant. Speaking later about presumed consent, mum Shelley said: "It will help so many more children and adults in the future."

Paul Caine of Workington campaigned for presumed consent having received two life-saving kidney transplants. He said: "It is most welcome and going to make a big difference in the UK. It's ground breaking and is going to save lives."

People now have the option to register that they do not want their organs donated, as well as if they do, and families are still involved in discussions.

Because of that, and in light of the fact that organ donation, like everything, has been impacted by COVID-19, people are being urged to talk to their families about their wishes.

Anthony Clarkson, of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "Amazing organ donors and their families make life-saving transplants possible, by giving their support and saying ‘yes’ to organ donation.

"It’s wonderful to see that we were, once again, on track to surpass the number of organ donors in 2019/20 than the previous year before COVID-19 hit. This is testament to the selfless families, including 13 families in Cumbria, who agreed to donate their loved one’s organs in the most tragic of circumstances.

"It is disappointing but inevitable that donation and transplantation has been impacted by the worldwide pandemic. What is incredible though is that throughout this crisis, we have continued to see such strong support for organ donation and the most urgent transplants have still gone ahead and saved the lives of desperately ill adults and children.

"We are, along with our fantastic NHS colleagues, focused on the continued recovery of this immensely important work, which brings comfort to grieving families and gives people another chance at life.

"As we learn to live with COVID-19 and boosted by the new law and growing public support, we hope more lives than ever before can be saved. I urge everyone in Cumbria to make their organ donation decision and tell their family about it."

To find out more, visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk