Sunderland buildings turn pink for Organ Donation Week

Locations across Sunderland are glowing pink as a symbol of how people can give the biggest gift possible – the decision to save a life.

Organ Donation Week started on Monday, September 18, and runs until Sunday, September 24.

The national campaign takes place each year to raise awareness about the ongoing need for organ donors.

It is hoped the more people it reaches, the more will register their decision to donate their organs when they die and yet more lives will be saved.

This year, the appeal aims to sign up 25,000 new donors during the week.

Pink has been chosen as it is the colour of a donor card.

Sunderland Royal Hospital changed its lighting during the week, and Sunderland City Council is doing the same with its buildings and landmarks on various dates.

More than 430 people died while waiting for a transplant in 2023.

All adults in England are now considered potential organ donors, unless they choose to opt out or are in one of the excluded groups.

This is commonly referred to as an ‘opt out’ system.

People still have a choice whether or not they want to become an organ donor and can register or amend their decision at any time.

Dr Shaz Wahid, executive medical director at the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, is a consultant physician with a specialist interest in diabetes and endocrinology as well as acute and general medicine.

He said: “Donating an organ can mean the precious gift of life to a patient. It is the greatest and kindest gesture we can ever make. But we need to make our wishes known for when that incredibly difficult times comes and to help our loved ones make that decision.

“Having those conversations now is so important. It means we know what each of our wishes are when it matters. This week can give people that reason to bring it up.

“To encourage that conversation, we will turn our own buildings pink as a show of our support for the organ donation card. We are very grateful to our partners at South Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council for doing the same.

“Together, we are united in backing this awareness campaign. There has been tremendous progress in organ donation, but there is still much to do.”

 Councillor Kelly Chequer, Cabinet Member for Healthy City at Sunderland City Council, said: “Organ Donation Week is all about raising awareness of organ donation and encouraging more people to sign up as organ donors. 

“Anything that helps spread the word about this very important cause has to be a good thing which is why we’re happy to be lighting landmarks in support of the week.

 “It’s also important that those of us who have already signed up to be potential donors, make sure to tell our loved ones so that they’re aware of our wishes when we’re gone.”

The Trust is also listed in the Northern section of the Race for Recipients challenge.

This launched on Saturday and will run until Sunday. 

It will see people, teams or Trusts set themselves a meaningful distance in line with the campaign. This could be completing 9km to represent the nine lives which can be saved by one donor up to 7,000km, which represents the 7,000 people on the waiting list for a transplant across the UK.

The ICCU team based at Sunderland Royal Hospital will be using their regular wellbeing walk on Saturday to add to the total with a route which will start at Roker in Sunderland.

Within the Trust, Dr Saeed Ahmed works to help educate people in the Islamic faith to help educate people about donating organs.

He, along with Dr Wahid, recorded an episode of the Trust’s Our People Podcast about organ donation and it can be found alongside other instalments here: https://www.youtube.com/@southtynesideandsunderland8948/podcasts

More information on the NHS Blood and Transplant Service can be found via