Landmarks lit for NHS Organ Donor Registration Week

This year is the 30th anniversary of the NHS Organ Donor Register and the city landmark light up is in line with calls from campaigners to talk about organ donation and getting more people registered as donors.

Landmarks including the Northern Spire Bridge, Penshaw Monument, Hylton Castle, Fulwell Mill, the White Lighthouse at Seaburn, Keel Square and High Street West, will be lit in pink for five nights starting from dusk on Monday 23 September until dawn on Saturday 28 September.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Michael Mordey; Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities, Councillor Kelly Chequer and Mayor Councillor Allison Chisnall have backed calls for more people to become and register as organ donors.

The calls came as they met and supported North East organ donation campaigners, including Beatrix Archbold, who had a heart transplant when she was a toddler.

The Archbolds have been lobbying the Government to raise organ donation awareness, including making organ donation awareness in schools compulsory.

Cllr Chequer said: "Beatrix is a very engaging and charming little girl with bags of energy and fun. She had suffered heart failure when she was a toddler, spent a year in hospital, and it was the brave decision of a donor family that has helped give Beatrix a new lease of life with a heart transplant.

"Because the donor family had made a difficult decision on organ donation, their sad loss but selfless decision helped saved Beatrix's life. Within a month of receiving her heart transplant, Beatrix was able to return home.

"An organ donor can save and help improve up to nine lives and so putting your name onto the NHS Organ Donor Register really is a life-saving registration. If more people join and register, then more lives can be saved."

It is quick and easy to register your decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk