MP SEEMA Malhotra has called for schoolchildren to be educated about blood, organ and bone marrow donation to tackle a shortage of registered donors.

The Feltham and Heston MP is keen to help the NHS save more lives and believes teaching pupils Adrian’s Law will provide a long-term solution.

Introducing the 10 Minute Rule Bill last month, Ms Malhotra, said: “Education about blood, organ, and bone marrow donation is essential for giving young people the information and awareness to make the decision to be a donor, and enable the NHS to save more lives. Introducing this education is a vital measure for securing a long-term solution to address the donor shortage.

"The problem is compounded for people from ethnic minority backgrounds. A white northern European person has a 90 per cent chance of finding a bone marrow donor. However, this drops to just 40 per cent for people from ethnic minority backgrounds."

The programme has been run with the support of Keith and Kay Sudbury, the parents of Adrian Sudbury after whom this new law would be named.

Former Huddersfield journalist Adrian Sudbury, who died aged 27, spent the last two years of his life campaigning for better education about stem cell donation.

The scheme is run by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan with NHS Blood and Transplant.

Other findings show just 50 per cent of people who need a bone marrow transplant will find a matching donor, and more than 7,000 people are waiting for organs. Last year, 535 people died waiting for a suitable organ.

Victoria Moffett, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Anthony Nolan, said: "We hope MPs recognise the importance of this bill in ensuring that the NHS can provide donated blood, organs and bone marrow to those who desperately need them and that they can continue to do so in the future."