Major transplant conference to be hosted in Belfast

A major conference on organ transplantation is being held in the Titanic Conference Centre in Belfast on Friday 11 Sept 2015. The event which coincides with transplant week (7 to 13 Sept 2015) is being held in Northern Ireland for the first time.Organised by the National Transplant Society, the conference brings together some of the most respected and renowned global professionals in the field of transplantation who will share ideas, forge links and explore opportunities on how organ donation can increase across the island of Ireland.Up to 15 speakers from the USA, UK, Northern Ireland and Ireland will address the 200 strong audience that are attending the event. With its focus on education, the conference will see experts, clinicians and researchers discuss the latest developments in organ transplantation and share experiences, learnings and best practice from both parts of the island of Ireland. Delegates will hear about key issues, current thinking and recent developments in organ donation and transplantation today.Speakers include Bob Montgomery, Professor of Transplant Surgery, John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA; Chris Watson, Professor of Transplant Surgery, University of Cambridge, England; Mike Nicholson, Professor of Surgery, University of Cambridge, England; Dr Dale Gardiner, Assistant UK Clinical Lead for Organ Donation, NHS Blood and Transplant Authority, Dr Aisling Courtney, Consultant Transplant Nephrologist, Belfast City Hospital and Emir Hoti, Liver Transplant Surgeon, St Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin.Speaking on behalf of the National Transplant Society, Dr David Healy, Consultant Cardio-thoracic Surgeon at St Vincent’s and Mater University Hospitals Dublin said: “The purpose of the congress is to talk about improving rates of organ donation, as well as improving access to transplantation for those on the island of Ireland.  It provides an opportunity for health care professionals to meet and explore areas of co-operation that make sense between two geographically and culturally close systems. The needs of transplant patients should always to be put first. The broader global transplant experience has demonstrated that patient needs transcend national boundaries and where co-operation has flourished, these patient needs are better met.”Event organiser Tim Brown, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at Belfast City Hospital added: “We have been able to attract world leaders to this congress because of our international reputation. Transplantation in Northern Ireland is thriving and we are on target for a record number of kidney transplants in Belfast this year. Indeed, we are fortunate to have a population and system that supports the very best live donor rates and outcomes, not just in the UK, but in the whole of Europe and continental United States.  This conference provides an opportunity to share best practice and further develop organ donation opportunities across Ireland.”Dr Paul Glover, who leads on organ donation in Northern Ireland is calling for a very strong organ donation message to come from the event, he said: “We are very grateful to the individuals and families who have so generously donated. Organ donation saves lives and is the most precious gift to give. We strongly encourage people to register for organ donation and, more importantly, talk to their family about their wishes.”

In Northern Ireland you can sign up to the Organ Donor Register, or obtain further information, at http://organdonationni.info. In the Republic of Ireland you can sign up for organ donation by email donod@ika.ie, freetext DONOR to 50050, lo call 1890 543639 or by post to: Freepost, Donor House, Irish Kidney Association, Park West, Dublin 12.

Northern Ireland transplant statistics• Every year, around 15 people in Northern Ireland die waiting for an organ transplant.• Only 34% have signed the NHS Organ Donor Register• In Northern Ireland 127 patients receiving an organ transplant between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015• Live organ donation rate in Northern Ireland is 34 people per million which compares with 16 million in the UK