From the Heart: saving lives

Back in February, we appealed for your help to save lives and your response has been incredible. Our From the Heart campaign aimed to increase the number of people on the organ donation register. You signed up in your thousands.

The number of people registering in the Meridian region was particularly high. Stacey Poole looks back at the plight of those on the transplant list - and the difference that organ donation can make.

The number of people signing up to become organ donors in our region is up a massive 1000%. During our week-long From the Heart campaign 9,055 people added their names to the register in our region, compared to just 818 during the same period in 2012. Stacey Poole explains.

Thousands of people have joined the organ donor register following a major campaign by ITV News Meridian.

In February of this year we launched our From the Heart campaign. Since then more than 9,000 people have joined the register in our region, compared with just 818 during the same period last year.

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How far would you go to save the life of someone you don't know and may never meet? Well Carol Laker gave up a part of herself. In the last of our series, From the Heart, Carol explains to our correspondent Sarah Saunders why she believes everyone should consider carrying a donor card.

The very first kidney transplant took place in the UK less than sixty years ago - since then - transplants have become one of the most successful forms of modern medicine. But more lives could be saved if there was not such a desperate shortage of organs.

This week ITV is highlighting the issue - in our campaign - From the Heart - and we're hoping more people will sign up to the donor register. Today we look at just how far organ transplant has come - Stacey Poole reports.

If you would like to join the organ donor register you can do so online.

Less than 60 years ago the very first kidney transplant took place in the UK - since then - transplants have become one of the most successful forms of modern medicine. But more lives could be saved if there wasn't such a desperate shortage of organs.

Following the launch of ITV's week-long campaign to encourage more people to sign the organ donor register, the team at Meridian sign up.

Now can you imagine gasping for every breath - having to use oxygen 24 hours a day and not knowing whether you're going to live or die. Well that's the terrible situation 27 year old Sam Yates from Basingstoke is in.

She suffers from cystic fibrosis - and desperatley needs a double lung transplant - but after years of waiting a match has never been found.

At the moment she's in hospital - suffering from a severe chest infection - but the future is looking bleak.

In our special series - From the Heart - our Correspondent Stacey Poole has been to meet her - and find out what life is really like on the Transplant list.

Can you imagine gasping for every breath - having to use oxygen 24 hours a day and not knowing whether you're going to live or die? Well that's the terrible situation facing 26-year-old Sam Yates from Basingstoke. This is an excerpt from tonight's item.