THE New Year will see the start of a new creative campaign in support of the new soft opt out organ donation legislation in Wales.

From January 6 the first phase of a mass media campaign – It’s About Time – will focus on digital platforms initially before rolling out to traditional media across Wales over the following weeks and months.

New organ donation legislation will come into force in Wales on December 1, 2015 and it is hoped it will help create the conditions for an increase in the number of organ donors through the introduction of a soft opt-out system for consent.

Under the new system an individual will be able to be a donor by either registering adecision to opt in or by doing nothing at all, in which case their consent may be deemed By doing nothing it will be as if you have no objection to being a donor and an individual will be treated in the same way as if they had chosen to be a donor. If an individual doesn’t want to be a donor they can register a decision to opt-out.

In 2012, 35 people died in Wales waiting for an organ donation. This agonizing wait is the inspiration for a creative advertising campaign that highlights the date of implementation of the legislation, 1st December 2015, but also reinforces the element of time ticking away for those in need of an organ to survive.

The campaign has been developed following extensive public testing. The creative is also flexible enough to house the necessary changes in emphasis and the need to educate and inform many different parts of society about the new changes across Wales.

Mark Drakeford, WelshGovernment Health Minister, said, “In Wales, over 250 lives are ‘on a clock’ waiting for an organ donor, living in the hope that time does not run out for them and a donor is found. We are changing the law on organ donation in Wales to help people on the donor waiting list by increasing the number of organs available for transplant.

“Today we are starting a simple yet very powerful campaign which will develop over the two years right up to and beyond the implementation date of the legislation on 1st December 2015.

“The campaign aims to give clear information about the change in the law and what it means for all of us. It will feature everyday people who are waiting for transplants – except that there is something noticeably different about them – they have a digital clock, as part of their body, which is counting down their life.

“I hope when people see the campaign online or, over coming months on radio, newspapers and television, they will take a look at out website, think about their organ donation decision and discuss it with family and friends.”