Wigan man urges World Cup fans to register organ donations during match breaks
Martyn Jackson and Anthony Clarkson highlight the life-saving impact of organ donation
As anticipation builds for the start of the World Cup next week, Martyn Jackson, a 31-year-old from Wigan, is calling on football fans to use match breaks as an opportunity to make life-saving decisions by registering on the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Martyn's plea comes from personal experience. A former semi-professional footballer, Martyn once played for Manchester United’s academy as a teenager. His life took an unexpected turn in October 2024 when he suddenly fell ill due to a virus that caused his heart to swell. Just six weeks after visiting his GP, Martyn was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital where he received a heart transplant, having been placed on the super urgent list.
Reflecting on his journey, Martyn said, “One day I felt a bit off and went to the doctor. Little did I know that that night I’d be admitted to hospital, be in a coma for two weeks, and just six weeks later have had a heart transplant. I’m lucky I got one quickly and I’m also lucky that I recovered well. I know thousands of people are waiting for their transplant and have been doing so for years.”
England sits at the bottom in terms of organ donor registration compared to other UK nations, despite having one of the highest rates of eligible donors. Nearly 1,400 people have died in England while waiting for an organ transplant since the end of the 2022 World Cup, with over 16,000 more added to the transplant waiting list.
Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, echoed Martyn’s message, urging fans to consider registering their donation decisions. “While we’re all cheering on the three lions and hoping they bring it home, another way we can support England is by confirming your donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. If we all come together as a team, we can work towards the goal of more people getting the transplant they desperately need.”
Martyn, now playing for the England transplant football team, appreciates the life he has today thanks to his donor and their family. “Organ donation isn't something I ever thought of before needing a heart transplant. Now I hope that my story shows people that you never know when it could be you who will need that organ.”
Football fans are encouraged to visit organdonation.nhs.uk to register their donation decision, taking just two minutes during the World Cup breaks in order to potentially transform lives, as one donor can save or transform up to nine lives.
For further information on organ donation, the NHS Blood and Transplant media team can be contacted at [email protected] .