KIDNEY transplants have soared by almost 30% in Scotland, new figures show.

In the past year, 208 kidney transplants were able to proceed, an increase of nearly 27 per cent on the previous year and a record high.

Living kidney donation figures for Scotland also increased, with numbers rising from 86 in 2016/17 to 95 in 2017/18.

In total, 469 people living in Scotland received an organ transplant in 2017/18 – 375 of these proceeded using organs from deceased donors, with an additional 94 kidneys provided by living donors to either a loved one, or a stranger.

In Scotland, 102 people donated organs after their death, with many others donating tissue.

Figures from NHS Blood and Transplant show support for organ donation in Scotland remains strong, with nearly 2.5 million people now on the NHS Organ Donor Register, approximately 46 per cent of the population – an increase of one percentage point on the previous year.

The Scottish Government has committed to bringing forward legislation to introduce a soft opt-out transplant system before the summer recess, following a five-year pressure campaign by the Evening Times.

Read more: Victory for Evening Times campaign as government announces plan for automatic donor system 

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “We’re indebted to donors and their families, and also all those working in the NHS, whose dedication and tireless work is helping to ensure no opportunities for donation or transplant are missed.

"An organ donation gives new hope to people waiting for transplants.

"It’s also encouraging to see the strides being made in increasing living donation rates as an option to help people waiting for a kidney transplant.”

Isabel Jardine underwent a successful kidney transplant in May 2017, after being diagnosed with renal failure 15 years earlier. The diagnosis came six months after her beloved son was stillborn.

The 45 year old from Kirkintilloch today expressed her gratitude to her donor and their family for saving her life, having endured dialysis for over nine and a half years.

Read more: Nurse to donate kidney to son, days after he turns 13

She said: “It’s difficult to put into words the difference the transplant has made to my life.

"After going on dialysis, life was put on hold and now I feel like I have a future.

“To have a life free from dialysis after so many years is quite something. I call my new kidney Lotto, as it genuinely feels like I’ve won the lottery, although money couldn’t buy what I’ve got.

“My donor and their family are constantly in my thoughts. I’m heartbroken for their loss and what they’ve gone through and can never show my appreciation enough. "Their decision has given me a future.

“People need to think about organ donation and consider joining the organ donor register and sharing their decision. The wait for some can be long, and that decision, and gift, has the potential to transform someone’s life.”

To join the NHS Organ Donor Register visit organdonationscotland.org