According to Kidney Research UK, kidney failure is up to five times more common in people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Nearly 30 per cent of the kidney transplant waiting list is made up of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, yet they make up less than 3.5 per cent of the NHS organ donor register.

With kidneys being the most needed organ, the charity is trying to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation by training ‘peer educators’ to spread the word in their own communities.

Neerja Jain, Kidney Research UK’s Health Improvement Project Manager, says tackling myths about organ donation in communities which see it as taboo is vital in addressing the “significant” shortage in kidney donations.

Last week the Telegraph & Argus reported that a muslim man who had a kidney transplant is campaigning for more Asian people to register as organ donors.

Mohammed Rafique Butt had a transplant at St James’s Hospital in Leeds last November after suffering kidney failure and being on dialysis for four years.

Now he has started a campaign raising awareness of organ donation, aimed at Asian communities, and is to appear in a documentary backing the campaign.

The documentary, in both English and Urdu, is being made by Nadeem Butt, who runs Punjab Entertainment in Bradford. He plans to register as an organ donor and is keen for other muslims to do the same.

“People struggling for life are looking at the door, waiting for an angel to turn up with a kidney. Some pass away waiting for a kidney,” says Nadeem.

“I would like to appeal to all communities, especially Muslim communities in Bradford. Humanity is part of our religion. I would like to ask my own community ‘can we not do this kind of favour’?

“God gave us healthy bodies and we have responsibilities as humans. We could save other people’s lives by becoming donors.

“We want to make communities more aware so more people will register. We are sending out the message that charity is not only about giving money or clothes, it is also about donating parts of the body to save a life.”

Neerja praised the men’s efforts in trying to raise awareness of kidney disease and organ donation.

In reaching out to their own communities they are complementing work being done by Kidney Research UK, which is training members of black and Asian communities to spread the word and address issues surrounding organ donation.

“The idea is to train people so they can go to places like mosques to answer questions and talk about fears and concerns,” says Neerja. “They are fears and concerns that anyone would have, but some people think it’s a taboo and against their religion. This often depends on individual interpretation.

“We have worked with religious leaders on this and there is clear evidence in all major faiths that there aren’t religious reasons preventing organ donation.

“In sharing the cultural background and language of their communities, peer educators can reach out to more people on our behalf.”

The peer educator scheme has proved to be a success in East Lancashire, where it was piloted. The charity has also worked with community and faith groups in London, Birmingham and Bradford, where peer educators have been helping people look at kidney disease and end of life issues.

“Kidney failure can be a terminal illness – we help kidney patients look at choices they have, in terms of things like hospices or Macmillan nurses,” says Neerja.

“Kidney failure is up to five times more common in people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

“Diabetes and high blood pressure are two main causes, and both of these conditions are more prevalent in South Asian communities. Some of it is hereditary and some of it is due to smoking or being overweight.

For more information visit www.kidneyresearchuk.org or www.organdonation.nhs.uk.