Last year, six people across our area died while waiting for either a new kidney or liver.
And since 2003, a total of 23 people have died before a donor could be found.
Currently there are 116 people on the waiting list for new organs, but not all will be successful in getting a transplant.
This is because just 29 per cent of people locally have joined the organ donation register – 214,559 out of the 728,000 population.
So today The News urges its readers to sign up to become a donor by filling out the form on the opposite page.
Signing up to the central register takes under a minute and it could save someone's life.
Neil O'Byrne from the charity Transplant Support Network believes everyone in the UK should sign up.
Mr O'Byrne, the charity's development manager, said: 'You are statistically far more likely to need a transplant than you are ever likely to donate.
'Although there are 15m people on the organ donor register now you can only use a person's organs if they have died in certain circumstances and the vast majority of people have to have died in hospital.
'An awful lot of people don't die in those circumstances so the need for more people to be on the register is far more important than it appears to most people.'
A total of 315 transplant operations have been performed in the last five years with 68 carried out last year.
While 29 per cent of our area have signed up to the register, nationally that figure is even worse at 25 per cent.
Thousands of people carry a donor card but that is no guarantee that your organs will be used if you die.
Simply not being able to find the donor card can be a barrier to being able to donate your organs. At that point it is up to your next of kin to decide whether to allow your organs to be used.
And when a loved one has died it is sometimes too upsetting for families to even consider that happening.
Mr O'Byrne says: 'When anyone joins they should tell their loved ones that they have done so.
'The worst situation at the moment is that when a person dies in circumstances where the organs may be used, in 40 per cent of cases the next of kin does not agree to it.
'If you have got a grieving relative there and they say no it would be a very heartless doctor who goes against that wish and it has not occurred since the legislation was brought in.'
The problem is even worse in the black and ethnic minority community where organ donations are even lower yet 70 per cent of next of kins refuse to allow their relatives' organs to be used.
John Baker, from UK Transplant said: 'We are absolutely delighted with The News' fantastic coverage of the importance of organ donation and its encouragment for readers to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.
'Organ transplantation is one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine. But the transplants depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving gift to others.
'Transplantation is highly successful and is, increasingly, the only treatment for many illnesses. For many patients, a donated organ makes the difference between life and death. The more people who pledge to donate their organs after their death, the more patients stand to benefit.

HOW TO HELP

• By joining the NHS Organ Donor Register, you can make sure that life goes on.'


• By adding your details online www.uktransplant.org.uk


• By telephoning the Organ Donor Line on 0845 60 60 400.


• When completing a driving licence application form.


• When registering with a new doctor or GP's surgery.


• When applying for a Boots Advantage Card.


• When applying for a new passport, using the leaflet enclosed with the application form.


• When registering for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), using the leaflet enclosed with the application form.