AS a liver transplant recipient 11 months ago, I am concerned about the effect of organ donations following the death of George Best.

While waiting on the donor list, there were allegations of a reduction in donor volunteers following George's first illness and transplant. Certainly I was unofficially informed that my chance of a suitable donor had been reduced because of the media coverage.

Potential donors perceived that an alcoholic would continue to abuse him/herself after a transplant. Sadly with George he did.

I was one of the successful transplant patients. It is uncertain how many were unlucky due to the media hype. Some people believe that liver disease is a direct result of alcohol abuse: in many cases it is not.

So I should like to inform people how easy it is to become an organ donor, by ringing 0845 6060 400.

When considering George's tragic death, our thoughts should be with the other people who have been affected. Namely:

u The donor, who chose to offer his/her organs to save another's life. Was the three-year extension to George's life gifted to him to continue to drink with no sympathy for the donor or their family?

u The donor's family, who had one thing to console them in their grief: the number of sick people to benefit from an enhanced, prolonged life

u Those organ recipients who allegedly had an additional wait as potential donors failed to volunteer. Some may not have lived long

u George's family and friends, who went through the trauma of his first illness and transplant surgery then had a repeat experience, followed by the grief of his death

u The medical staff, who treat each patient the same. It is regrettable that their time was spent nursing the inevitable, possibly neglecting the needy.

Alan Deanes,

Newlands Road,

Bishopthorpe, York.

Updated: 09:42 Wednesday, November 30, 2005