SHOPPERS in the Borders will be urged to make their organ donation wishes known by sharing a selfie online as part of a national campaign.

The Organ Donation Scotland roadshow will visit the Co-Op in Jedburgh on Monday (17 November) where people who support organ donation will be invited to hold a speech bubble saying ‘I‘d like to be an organ donor’ – the seven words which could save up to seven lives.

As well as sharing wishes online, they’ll also be able to sit and have a ‘wee chat’ on the Organ Donation Scotland sofa and join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Recent figures highlighted that around 90 more lives could be saved each year, if family authorisation rates for organ donation increase.

Sharing organ donation wishes remains fundamental to relatives honouring a loved one’s choices in the event of their death – and the campaign is urging people who have made the positive decision to be an organ donor to talk it through with their family.

Scotland has made huge progress in organ donation and transplantation, with a 62 per cent increase in transplants since 2007/8 and over 41 per cent of Scots now on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

However, 550 people in Scotland are still awaiting a life-saving transplant and the campaign is aiming to raise awareness of how sharing wishes can save lives.

Professor John Forsythe, Scotland’s Lead Clinician for Organ Donation and Transplantation said: “Please think about what you would want to do in terms of organ donation and then, please discuss your decision with your family. That important chat could one day allow others to live”.