EVENING Times ­reporter Caroline Wilson will be ­honoured with a top award for her work on our Opt for Life campaign.

She has been crowned Campaigner of the Year by the British Heart Foundation Scotland as part of its Heart Hero awards.

Opt for Life, which is being led by Caroline, aims to save lives by changing the current opt-in transplant system to an opt-out one.

Our petition calling for the change has gathered more than 20,000 signatures and has been debated in parliament.

Marjory Burns, director at BHF Scotland, said: "Caroline has steadfastly lobbied for the past three years to bring about change in our organ donation system through the Evening Times' Opt for Life campaign.

"She deserves our Campaigner of the Year award for her energy, commitment and tenacity."

Caroline and the other heart heroes will be honoured at the BHF Scotland's annual supporter conference, which is being held in Glasgow next Thursday.

Caroline said: "As a reporter, working on a campaign such as this, which has the potential to save lives, has been a gift. It helps that I agree with the cause on a personal level.

"I've yet to meet a transplant patient or relative who doesn't believe an opt-out system is the right way to go.

"Not simply for ­helping increase the number of donors but because it has the ­potential to change the way we think about ­donation, creating a society where it is the norm to help others ­after death."

Caroline added that she "truly" hoped it would become law.

The BHF Scotland conference takes place from 9.45am to 4pm at the Teacher Building in St Enoch Square.

rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk