Be a LonDonor.
Become a lifesaver. Join the organ register today.
There’s a serious shortage of organ donors in East London. While the waiting list continues to grow, the number of donors remains far too low.
Transplantation is a life-changing and life-saving treatment for people with severe illnesses that lead to organ failure. Whether it’s a heart, lung, liver, or kidney, these transplants are only possible because of the selfless generosity of donors and their families, who give the ultimate gift: a second chance at life.
Becoming an organ donor means becoming a lifesaver.
A Londoner into a LonDonor.
To raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and transplantation, ESOT will undertake a series of activities in East London to coincide with the ESOT Congress 2025. In doing so, we hope to leave behind a meaningful legacy - one that continues to save lives and strengthen communities well into the future.
Open Call Design Competition
Deadline: 30 November 2025
As a celebration of the gift of life that organ donation provides and the impact it has on organ transplant recipients, ESOT, in partnership with Excel London, are inviting submission of designs for an installation as part of a ‘Be A LonDonor’ design competition. This celebrates organ donation and transplantation with the aim of building a legacy for the community to recognise the gift made by donor families and the positive impact this has on organ recipients.
Why enter?
Top 3 winning designs to be awarded a £1000 cash prize!
Winning designs may be displayed
Opportunity to gain experience in delivering a vision for an installation that will resonate in the local community and provide a legacy
The closing date for submissions is 30 November 2025.
Be a LonDonor: Building a living legacy for East London and beyond
Dr Raj Thuraisingham (Consultant Nephrologist at Royal London Hospital and member of the ESOT Congress Scientific Committee) discusses why this project, and raising awareness of organ donation, is so crucial to improving outcomes for entire patient populations.
Community Open Day!
On 28 June, the day before the opening of the congress, we hosted a Community Open Day at Royal Victoria Square. The aim of the day was to encourage and raise public awareness of the importance of organ donation in the local community.
ESOT would like to thank the following charities for their involvement and participation in the day:
• Kidney Care UK
• Jain and Hindu Organ Donation Alliance (JHOD)
• LiveLifeGiveLife
• Diabetes UK
• Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN)
• NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)
• Donor Family Network
In addition to hosting the Community Open Day, ESOT launched a targeted social media campaign aimed at raising awareness of organ donation among East London residents and encouraging them to join the organ donor register. The campaign reached over 140,000 people during the congress and will continue in the coming months to broaden its impact and spread the message even further.
ESOT would also like to thank Lucy Dames, Andrew Fisher, Krishna Menon, and Raj Thuraisingham for their support in organising the Legacy Project.
Congress Legacy Initiatives
ESOT Congress Student Programme
The ESOT Congress Student Programme is a collaboration between Queen Mary University of London, ESOT, Barts Health clinical staff, and the Organ Donor Committee, aiming to better understand why organ donation rates in East London are among the lowest in the UK.
Ten Year 4 medical students, many from the local area, have chosen to explore this topic through a year-long Student Selected Component, supported by consultants in nephrology, transplant surgery, and anaesthesia.
The programme is running throughout the 2024–25 academic year, with students dedicating two hours per month to research and discussion.
Their final project submissions are now complete, and it is hoped these will offer valuable insights and ideas to help increase organ donation in the region.
Become a lifesaver. Join the organ register today
It’s important you know about your choices regarding organ donation. In line with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), please find further information below.
Steps before you start:
Whatever you decide, please talk to your loved ones. They will always be consulted, and can overturn your decision if they aren't sure what you want.
Organ donation in some parts of the UK has changed. See how the changes affect you.
To donate only some organs, register a decision and record your preferences.
Withdrawing your name from the NHS Organ Donor Register is not the same as recording a decision not to donate. Read about what withdrawal means.
For more information, visit NHSBT.
Chiesi Farmaceutici are strictly at arms-length to arrangements of this project. Chiesi has supported the development and content of materials resulting from the ESOT Legacy Project.