Double lung transplant survivor Kirstie Tancock held a series of sign-up stalls in Exeter where she got 245 new people to become organ donors. Here, the 22-year-old from Honiton explains the reaction she received.

I'M absolutely thrilled to get so many people to sign up, but it did lead to some revelations about people and their views on organ donation.

I had thought most people wanted to donate but just didn't get round to doing it.

But actually some people just don't like it, others don't agree with the principle, and indeed some people said they didn't agree with transplant at all.

This thoroughly upset me in many ways. Does this mean they don't agree with me being alive today? Do I bend all the ethics and rules? How can people disagree with something that saves lives and improves the quality of people's lives? Is the idea of organ donation that horrific to some people?

When I got down to the nitty-gritty and asked why people didn't agree with it, most people couldn't really give me a valid reason – mostly they just didn't want to think of their death.

I can understand that, but for me I thought about my death for most of my life. I never planned for living, as I was set on the idea that I was going to die young.

So therefore I have no taboo over death, it's something I thought about and discussed openly. I didn't want to die but I didn't find thinking about it offensive.

So perhaps we need to bring death into the 21st century. It happens, it is horrible and often seems cruel and unfair – but isn't it best to plan for the inevitable? It is one thing we can all be sure of, one thing every person has in common, so perhaps to tackle organ donation we need to tackle this deep taboo.

The other reasons I heard included religion, only I was well prepared to tackle this one – all major religions agree with organ donation.

Other reasons were simply down to lack of knowledge and a greater need for educating people on organ donation.

One thing many people came up with was, 'I am not allowed to donate', or 'I am on too much medication'.

GUYS, if I can donate my organs with all the medication I have been on I am pretty sure you are all right.

There are only two illnesses that rule you out for organ donation – HIV and CJD.

Sexuality, colour and religion play no part in this and even the rules have changed for those giving blood now.

So my sign-up stalls are over. I had a great many helpers who I would like to thank – Robyn Bennet as she stuck with me through blustery winds and made me laugh constantly; my best friend Julie; my husband Stuart's mum and dad Julie and Pete; my lovely niece Kaylee, who is only nine and managed to sign up around about 10 people; and finally my husband Stu who came and helped out after a full day's work.

I hope to carry on my stalls this year and also look forward to a few other projects. I already have my first talk at my old secondary school lined up.

My aim is just to educate the students about organ donation and transplant – then the decision is up to them.

I am also lining up a few more schools, colleges and universities.

I'm also excited that the charity Live Life then Give Life has asked me to work for them as an employee one day a week, doing various other things for them along with my advocacy work. So that's all very exciting.

To sign up to join the NHS Organ Donor Register, call 0300 123 2323 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk.