MORE than 100 people in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area received a potentially life-saving organ transplant in the past year due to a rise in donations.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recorded its highest ever number of organ donations during 2013/14, with 34 people choosing to donate their organs after death.

In the Glasgow kidney unit, transplants were performed on a record-breaking 140 adults, with further transplants for children from all over Scotland. An additional 28 people received a cornea or eye tissue transplant.

Ros O'Sullivan, Specialist Nurse - Organ Donation, said: "The number of people who choose to donate their organs following their death is increasing.

"Being a donor has the potential to save more than one life and it has the power to completely transform the lives of those who wait for a suitable match."

In 2013/14, in hospitals throughout Scotland, 106 individuals and their families made the selfless decision to donate and, in doing so, transformed the lives of people on transplant waiting lists across the country.

From the end of last month, 40% of the Scottish population had made their organ donation wishes known by joining the UK Organ Donor Register.

Dr Marc Clancy, NHSGGC's transplant surgeon, said: "We all have the potential to save lives after our death if we make our wishes known to our family and sign up to the organ donation register."

People can sign up to the register at www.organdonationscotland.org

The Evening Times Opt for Life Campaign is calling for Scotland to change to a system of presumed consent for organ donation. Join our campaign by signing the petition at www.eveningtimes.co.uk

More than 20,000 people have signed our petition and in February, MSPs urged the Scottish Government to "move faster" on a possible change to an opt-out system.

They said ministers should not wait for an evaluation of a similar Welsh system, due to come into force next year, before making a decision.

vivienne.nicoll@ eveningtimes.co.uk