THE balloon will go up in St George’s Square to highlight transplants.

Staff from the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust will help release balloons in Huddersfield on Friday, July 8, at noon to mark National Transplant Week.

And families attending will be releasing them to remember their loved ones and to raise awareness of organ donation.

This year’s Transplant Week aims to increase awareness of organ donation and the issues that surround it by focusing on how long people are currently waiting to receive a transplant.

In the Huddersfield and Halifax region waiting times for an organ can range from a few weeks up to two years depending on the availability of suitably matched organs.

Specialist nurse for organ donation Rachel Wiseman, pictured with colleague, Jayne Greenhalgh, said: “If more people become donors and sign up to the register we can give those on the waiting list more hope.”

People can sign up to the register via the Trust website on www.cht.nhs.uk which makes it easy and there are also real-life donor and recipient stories.

Yorkshire Organ Donation Services Team have organised the release in various locations across Yorkshire to raise awareness of organ donation and transplantation and also to remember those who have so kindly donated organs and tissues for transplantation and research.

Anyone wishing to dedicate a balloon a tag can arrange this by calling 0300 1230912 Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.