The Tree of Life – why organ donation matters
The Tree of Life celebration is held annually at St George’s and honours people who have died over the years and donated their organs so that others might live. All staff and people associated with the donor are invited to attend the ceremony which will be held from 11:00 until 13:00 within the Courtyard on the ground floor of Atkinson Morley Wing at the hospital.
More than 121 lives have been saved over the last year thanks to donors and their families consenting to organ donation.
Jo Cox, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at St George’s said, “Organ donation is an incredibly generous act by the donor and their families. Donating an organ can mean the difference between life and death. It allows people not just to survive but to live and enjoy life. We ask everyone to join the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell relatives their decision.”
The tree, positioned in Atkinson Morley Wing is a permanent reminder of the donor’s selfless gift. Families are given the opportunity to engrave a leaf with their own personal message and place this onto a branch of the tree in remembrance of their loved one.
