Luxembourg Transplant organised a charity spinning marathon on Sunday to raise awareness of the important of organ donation.
Due to the pandemic, the 12th edition of the marathon took place in a hybrid format, with around 60 people participating in person in Mamer, while other participants joined virtually.
© Max Schmitz
From 10am to 6pm, participants took turns to push the pedals. It marked a welcome return to fundraising for the charity, which was forced to cancel 2020's marathon due to coronavirus guidelines.
Even soldiers from the Luxembourg Army took part from a distance, while other people offered moral support.
Luxembourg Transplant said it was more important than ever to raise awareness of organ donation, as the numbers have been dropping in the Grand Duchy for years. 2020 was a poor year on a global scale as transplants dropped in general. In Luxembourg there are around 5 organ donors, compared to just 3 in 2020.
This leaves Luxembourg well below the European average of 13.2 donors per million inhabitants. In comparison, Belgium's average in 2020 was 21.2 donors, while Germany sits at 10.7
The electronic shared medical file (DSP) introduced by former health ministers Mutsch and Schneider, which authorities hoped would boost awareness, has not yet led to an increase in donors.
However, Luxembourg Transplant is looking ahead to 2022, with plans to host a 1,400-strong spinning marathon at the LuxExpo next October.
