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Theresa May today announced she will change the law on organ donation in a stunning victory for the Daily Mirror and our readers.

The Prime Minister revealed the historic move to an Opt Out system in her speech at the Tory party conference in Manchester.

The huge development comes after a two-year campaign by this newspaper.

Health campaigners, medics, MPs and patients hailed the Daily Mirror’s relentless drive to save hundreds of lives.

Labour MP Dan Jarvis said it “shows what a difference a campaigning newspaper can make”.

Others described our victory as “momentous” and a “game changer” for the most seriously ill patients across England.

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

And the boss of Britain’s biggest heart charity said the move would end “the agonising pain felt by families who risk losing a loved one while they wait for a donor”.

Mum-of-three Sonia Alves, 37, who is “desperately” waiting for a transplant, praised our campaign and said she hoped the change would mean she could be “a mum, not a kidney patient”.

She said: “I have to have dialysis four times a day, every single day, and I’ve been on the waiting list for a kidney transplant for almost three years.”

Sonia, of Bournemouth, has had kidney failure since she was 14.

“I am really struggling as no-one has been a match for me and as a mum to three children all I want is to be there for them and to see them grow up.

"The change to Opt Out will hopefully mean I get that transplant I desperately need so much and can be a mum, not a kidney patient.”

We have been calling for a system of presumed consent across the UK, whereby organs become available unless people decide not to take part.

And after our massive two-year battle for change, the PM announced plans for the biggest shake-up of the organ donation system in decades.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

She hailed our front page story on September 4 which revealed 457 Brits could have been saved by a law change where people are assumed to consent to being donors after they die.

Mrs May said: “Our ability to help people who need transplants is limited by the number of organ donors that come forward.

“That is why last year 500 people died because a suitable organ was not available. And there are 6,500 on the transplant list today.

“So to address this challenge that affects all communities in our country, we will change that system. Shifting the balance of presumption in favour of organ donation.”

The Government will launch a consultation on the issue before bringing in the change to the system.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

A Government spokesman said: “The consultation will propose to automatically enter everyone on the donor register, unless they decide to opt out.”

And the official Tory party Twitter account later confirmed: “Too many people die waiting for donor organs. We will introduce an Opt Out system for organ donation.”

A brave little boy who was one of the many faces of our campaign celebrated our victory at home and said: “I hope they call it Max’s Law.”

Nine-year-old Max Johnson appeared on our front page to appeal to the PM directly to save him and others like him.

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

He waited more than seven months on a special unit for a new heart, but is now back home after it finally arrived at Newcastle Freeman Hospital in August.

He said: “I cannot believe it. I thought it would take so much longer but yes! I know it will help other children like me. I hope they call it Max’s Law, it would be fun if they did that.

“Do you think Theresa May saw my picture in the Mirror? I hope so because that is why I did it. I wanted people to realise what it is like to be on the waiting list.

“I wanted to help others waiting for a new organ like me.”

Back with proud parents Emma and Paul in Winsford, Cheshire, Max is enjoying time with his big brother Harry, 12, and playing in his newly decorated bedroom (complete with bunk-style bed) and his beloved music system, a treat for his return from hospital.

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Civil servant Paul, 44, said: “I think the announcement is a testimony to the campaign run by the Mirror. We are proud to be part of it. You kept it going, kept the pressure on those in power.

“It gave real wind to the sails for change. I think Theresa May listened. It is the right decision. I take my hat off to her. But the real kudos is for the Mirror, the campaign has been absolutely superb, dignified, it oozed integrity.

“It needed you to reach that seat of power. I think Max put the human face on it. He made compelling arguments for change. He thought it was wonderful when he found out, it has been a real team effort.”

During our mammoth campaign across both the Daily Mirror and Mirror Online, we highlighted how hundreds of Brits die needlessly every year because under the current Opt In system means many organs are wasted - when they could be used to save lives.

(Image: Andy Commins/Daily Mirror)

More than 6,500 people are currently on the organ donor waiting list desperately hoping for a transplant to save their life.

Mrs May’s dramatic move came after Labour leader Jeremy Corby and Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable both backed our Change The Law For Life campaign at their party conferences.

Our relentless battle for an Opt Out system won the support of thousands of Brits, doctors, patients and health campaigners.

It means England will now follow Wales with an opt-out donor system. Scotland also already has plans to do so.

In our front page story that Mrs May referred to, we told how an NHS audit found 177 families said “no” to donation as they were unsure if their loved ones would have agreed.

Based on the average 2.6 transplants per donor, experts calculated it could have led to 460 lifesaving ops in 2016/17.

(Image: Andy Commins/Daily Mirror)

In a tragic coincidence, 457 people died on the active transplant waiting list in the same period.

This suggests if all the transplant opportunities were taken, many - if not all - of those lives could have been saved.

Currently, people have to “opt in” by signing the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Surveys show the vast majority of Brits would donate an organ after death - but fewer than half have signed up.

Now the PM’s change means England will adopt a new presumed consent system, whereby organs become available for transplants unless people decide not to take part.

Sshe also highlighted the fact that members of black and minority ethnic communities had an increased risk of illnesses, including high blood pressure, that may lead to the need for an organ transplant.

British Medical Association chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said the change had “the potential to save many lives”.

He added: “The decision to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation in England is excellent news.

“It is important that the new process is well publicised to ensure the public are fully aware of and understand this important change.

“The health service must also have the resources, as well as facilities, to ensure transplant procedures can be performed when they are needed.”

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Professor Roy Thomas, chief executive of Kidney Wales who campaigned for the 2015 law change in Wales, hailed our victory for patients across the UK.

He said: “Congratulations to all at the Daily Mirror. We now have all substantial political parties in the UK supporting those who need hope and are waiting for a transplant with the UK Government taking the lead. It is great news and a real game changer.”

Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson had backed our drive and even put forward a Private Members’ Bill - due to be heard next year - calling for a change to the law.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted the Government have taken the subject of my private member’s bill and will now introduce an Opt Out system.

“It’s great to see the Government have reacted to the Daily Mirror’s campaign and I’m sure many, many lives will be saved as a result.”

Labour MP Dan Jarvis also welcomed the announcement, adding: “The evidence is clear, hundreds of people a year are dying because of us not doing so and its time we put a stop to such needless suffering.

“I hope that the government reaches across the political divide to speak to Labour about how this was done in Wales; it should be a cross party effort to inform the public both of the benefits of such a policy and also how it would work.”

“I must also pay tribute to the tireless work of the team at the Mirror, the family of Max Johnson, and campaigners like Paul Flynn and Geoffrey Robinson.

"Without all of them the Law for Life would have remained in the ‘too difficult box’; this once again shows what a difference a campaigning newspaper can make.”

(Image: Daily Mirror)

The National Kidney Federation patients group described the PM’s announcement as “very welcome”.

And Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK, added: “This is a truly momentous day for the 25,000 people in England on dialysis with kidney failure.

“One person dies every day whilst waiting for a kidney transplant and this change has the potential to be both life-saving and life changing.

“We look forward to working with the Government, NHS Blood and Transplant and colleagues throughout the kidney community to implement a new era for organ donation and transplantation.”

Simon Gillespie, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Introducing a soft-opt out system in England will mean that more people will get the life saving transplant they desperately need.

“The Government’s commitment to a soft-opt out system is a commitment to ending the agonising pain felt by families who risk losing a loved one while they wait for a donor.

“This change can’t come soon enough for patients.”

The NHS said it welcomed the change and hoped it would drive a revolution in organ donation with millions more people talking about the issue and saving lives.

Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “NHS Blood and Transplant welcomes the commitment made in the Prime Minister’s speech to increasing organ donation and transplantation.

“We all want to see more lives saved and welcome anything which encourages more people to share their personal organ donation decision with their family.

“We hope this announcement will drive a national conversation about organ donation.

"Whatever legislation is in place, telling your family of your organ donation decision lets them know what you want to happen and means your family don’t have to make a difficult decision when they are grieving.”