Almost 40,000 people have joined the organ donation register to provide others with the gift of life since Dáithí's Law came into effect in Northern Ireland one year ago.
Figures released to mark the first anniversary of the change in law to an opt-out system of organ donation also reveal an increase in the number of donors.
Statistics show 64 donors from Northern Ireland, up from 59 in 2022/23, helped save the lives of 158 people across the UK in the past year.
A total of 79 patients from the north also had a life-saving transplant in the past year.
Other figures show 153 people in the north are still waiting on “the call”.
Each year in Northern Ireland, around 10 to 15 people die while awaiting a life-saving transplant.
As of 1 June 2023, all adults in Northern Ireland are now considered potential organ donors unless they choose to opt out or are in an excluded group.
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The intent of the Organ and Tissue Donation (Deemed Consent) legislation is to increase the number of organs available to people in need of a transplant.
The last year has seen increased public awareness activity around the change in law, with a rise in the number of people registering decisions on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
In 2022/23, a total 53% of people registered a decision, which rose to 56% in 2023/24.
Currently, 1,053,541 people in NI have registered a decision to donate organs, including over 38,000 since the law changed, with around 10,000 of these in January to March of this year alone.
The consent rate for organ donation also continues to rise with a rate of 68% in 2023/24, up from 65% in 2022/23.
A total of 73 families consented to organ donation in 2023/24, with 64 proceeding.
Of the 73 family consents, 54 had expressed a decision to opt-in, and 50 of these proceeded to donation.
This is a consent rate of 93% when a loved ones’ decision is known.
The remaining 14 donations were under the new ‘deemed consent’ legislation where the patient had not expressed an organ donation decision either to opt in or opt out, and was not in an excluded group.
On the first anniversary of the legislation, known as Dáithí's Law, the west Belfast boy who inspired the campaign for change is still waiting on “the call”.
June 1 also marks six years since Dáithí Mac Gabhann (7) was added to the waiting list after he was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
There are five children in Northern Ireland currently on the transplant waiting list.
The Mac Gabhann family worked tirelessly to campaign for a move towards soft opt-out law and to promote organ donation.
His father Máirtín said: “Celebrating the first anniversary of Dáithí's Law fills our family with immense pride and gratitude.
“It felt like we moved mountains at times to help get this new law in place, and it’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since it has taken effect.
“The journey seemed impossible at times, but we are incredibly proud to have played our role in its implementation.
“Knowing that lives are being saved in our boy’s name is an amazing legacy.”
Health minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Seeing the increase in the number of donors and families supporting organ donation is incredibly positive and also gives hope to those in great need of a life-saving transplant”.
Please visit www.organdonationni.info for further information.
