Colleagues from Musgrove Park Hospital were joined by National Trust volunteers on the evening of Monday, September 23, to light up Wellington Monument to mark Organ Donation Week.

Organ Donation Week (September 23-29) is an opportunity for members of the public to talk about, celebrate and highlight the significance of organ donation.

NHS Organ Donor Register celebrates is celebrating its 30th birthday this year and people are being encouraged to ‘think pink’ and dress, decorate and embrace the colour, to help raise awareness of the incredible gift of organ donation, and to encourage people to confirm their decision on the register.

As part of the celebrations, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is taking part in the #Race4Recipients challenge, which has been designed to raise awareness of organ donation, while also getting people active.

The race distance could be achieved through any kind of activity and travelling a measurable distance, and all the #Race4Recipients targets are meaningful milestones that relate to an important number related to organ donation. For example, travelling 9km is a distance that represents the 9 lives one organ donor can save.

Dr James Sidney, a consultant anaesthetist at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, says: “This is a week in which we promote organ donation in the UK, so landmarks across the country, such as the Wellington Monument, are being lit up in pink to encourage people to sign up to the donor register.

“Despite the strides that have been made in organ donation over the last decade or so, over 400 people died last year waiting for a transplant and every single donation that we can facilitate is really precious and potentially lifesaving or life transforming for someone waiting for this type of surgery.”

Helen Waldon, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s lead bereavement and medical examiner officer, and a member of the #Race4Recipients team, said: “I’ve heard so many stories from organ and tissue recipients about the life changing effect it’s had, not just on them, but on their family and friends too.

“The death of a loved one and the grief that ensues can be incredibly painful, but out of that grief some people choose to give an amazing gift which allows others to have hope.

“If you want to get involved with Organ Donation Week in the local community, why not visit the Wellington Monument, on the edge of the Blackdown Hills, which will be lighting the skies pink again to support the campaign onSunday, September 29.”

Anita Kacerovskis, a National Trust volunteer, adds: “The National Trust is always keen to get involved with organisations to help them with awareness drives, and we felt that organ donation was exceptionally important. We’re very happy to be part of it by turning our lovely monument pink.”

To join the Somerset NHS FoundationTrust #Race4Recipients team, visit https://raceforrecipients.com/teams/138.

The challenge is active until midnight on Sunday, September 29, and all distances must be logged by midnight on the day.