Jackie Doyle-Price MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health visited St George’s on Thursday 7 September to find out more about how St George’s champions organ donation during Organ Donation Week (4 – 10 September).

Alicia Hayley Bell, Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at St George’s, led the visit starting in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Atkinson Morley Wing.

Dr Andrew Hitchings and Sarah Shah, Consultant and Matron in Neuro ICU respectively, gave the Minister a tour of the unit before meeting with Dr Caroline Davison, Consultant Lead for Organ Donation and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Consultant, to discuss the care and treatment they provide to patients including their role in the organ donation process while working closely with the Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation team.

Kathryn Harrison, Lead Governor and Chair of the Organ Donation Committee, and Professor Hannah Cock, Consultant Neurologist and Professor of Epilepsy and Medical Education, then shared their personal experiences and the importance of organ donation with the Minister.

Kathryn donated a kidney to her husband seven years ago in an operation carried out at St George’s; and Hannah’s nine year old son donated organs at St George’s following his death in 2016.

The Minister was also interested to learn more about our annual Tree of Life event which thanks, pays tribute to and remembers the many people who donate life-saving organs and tissues at St George’s each year.

The Tree of Life display, which is positioned on the ground floor of Atkinson Morley Wing, acts as a permanent reminder of the selfless gift/s made by organ and tissue donors. During the event, donors’ families are invited to place an engraved leaf with their own personal message upon the tree.

The event also includes talks from the Trust Chaplain, Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation and donors’ families.

Organ Donation Week

If you are interested in joining the 23 million people who have signed up to become an organ donor, or simply want to find out more, please visit the organ donation website here.

You can also support organ donation by joining the conversation on social media using the following hashtags: #OrganDonation #YesIDonate and #TimeToSign

 

Photo (from left): Professor Hannah Cock, Alicia Hayley Bell, Jackie Doyle-Price MP, Kathryn Harrison