Life-saving Facebook feature revealed to be Organ Donor push
Facebook have revealed their life-saving feature update for the world’s largest social network. You’ll now be able to publicise your status as an organ donor through the Facebook Timeline, and hopefully in the process inspire others to sign up for the cause too.
Launching in the US and UK, it’s a partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) on this side of the pond, and various state-run schemes in the US.
“Small acts of kindness happen every day on Facebook but we hope that our partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant will use the power of friendship to save lives,” says Simon Milner, Director of Policy, Facebook, UK.
“More than 30 million people in the UK will be able to show on their Timeline that they are either on the organ donation register already, or can register with the NHS on their Facebook page in a few simple steps. We hope that as a result of this partnership, UK Facebook users will together be able to reduce the number of people who needlessly die waiting for an organ each year.”
As many as 1,000 people die in the UK each year waiting for life-saving organs, and you can times that by more than six in the USA. It’s a small gesture on behalf of Facebook, but with the network having such widespread visibility, hopefully the feature will bring more attention to this worthy, oft-forgotten cause.
The new Timeline feature can be found under the “Organ Donor” entry in the life events area of a user’s profile.
Image via: One Poll
