An organ donation memorial has been officially opened at the Countess.
The multi-coloured Circle of Light window will be a permanent tribute to all patients and families who choose to save others through organ donation.
Chairman Sir Duncan Nichol unveiled a plaque to sit alongside the stain glass memorial at a ceremony attended by staff, governors and patients’ relatives this week.
“Organ donation is the most generous gift anyone can give and we know what it means to patients who benefit,” Sir Duncan said. “We want to make it part of the culture of the hospital.”
The Circle of Light design was specifically chosen to embody the values of never-ending care, with a vibrant and colourful circle representing life surrounding a poem called My Final Gift.
Regional nurse specialist for organ donation Tracy Rhodes said: “It’s a lovely tribute. We’re hoping it draws attention and it makes people think, whether it’s something they’ve thought about before or not.”
Some relatives of organ donors were invited to attend the ceremony to remember their loved ones.
Nursing assistant Don Dowling, who lost his 25-year-old daughter Catherine three years ago, said: “When I got the message from Tracy to come to this event I immediately said I’d come along.
“Catherine, who’d had a donor card since she was little, helped 10 individuals, ranging from a six-month-old baby to somebody in their 70s. Remembering that helps.”
Governor Pat Clare, who is chair of the Countess’ organ donation committee, added: “We want the window to allow people to both remember their loved ones and celebrate the choice they made and the lives saved as a result.”