Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Bassetlaw joined Doncaster Royal Infirmary, councils, businesses, and community groups around the country in turning pink, symbolising the colour of the ‘Yes I Donate’ organ donation campaign, to inspire people to share with their families their decision to register as an organ donor.

Nationally, someone dies every day in need of an organ.

With almost 7,000 people currently on the active transplant waiting list, each year it becomes more imperative to raise awareness of organ donation and encourage families to have open-hearted discussions about their donor status.

Bassetlaw Hospital was lit up pink in support of organ donation week. Photo: DBTH

Jane Tute, specialist nurse in organ donation for NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), said: “It was wonderful to see the pink lights shining across Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals again this year.”

“NHSBT are urging people to add their name to the register and we hope those who have seen the hospitals illuminated this week will reflect on their decision to donate."

“Families are more likely to support donation when they know their loved one’s decision, so have the ‘heart to heart’ with your loved ones today.”

More elderly people in Bassetlaw received help to pay their heating bills

Even though the law around organ donation has now changed to an ‘opt out’ system across England, Scotland and Wales, it’s important to remember that family members will still always be involved before organ donation goes ahead.

This means it is just as important as ever to register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register at organdonation.nhs.uk and ensure your friends and family know what you want and will support your decision.

At present, there are currently more than 30 million people in the UK who have registered their organ donation decision on the register, with more than 27 million of them explicitly agreeing to be an organ donor when they die.

However, this still only represents around 44 per cent of the UK population.

Anthony Clarkson, director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation for NHSBT said: “We need people in north Nottinghamshire to not only talk to their families about organ donation, but to register their decision on the organ donation register.

“This could be the difference between life and death for someone else.”

Bassetlaw Hospital turns pink in support for organ donation week