News

September 2024

Turning the peaks pink

Date of release: 27 September 2024

A Specialist Nurse who works across NHS Trusts in Wolverhampton and Walsall is setting her sights on climbing the highest mountain in South Wales to raise awareness of organ donation.

Donna Allen

Donna Allen

Donna Allen hopes to be one of more than 100 people to reach the summit of Pen y Fan, in Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), today (Friday, 27 September), as part of the NHS Blood and Transplant’s Organ Donation Week 2024 (23-29 September) and the Turn the Peaks Pink’ campaign.

In total five peaks will be climbed by more than 600 people, including donor families, organ recipients and other healthcare professionals, who are all aiming to reach the summits simultaneously at 2pm.

The peaks being tackled are:
  • Ben Nevis (Scotland)
  • Yr Wyddfa, (North Wales)
  • Pen Y Fan (South Wales)
  • Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland)
  • Scafell Pike (England)

Donna, a Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation for The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts,  said: “I was inspired by wanting to raise awareness and to show my support for the courage and selflessness shown by all our donor families who support patients giving the gift of life.

“Our donors give the most altruistic and special gift, and I want to celebrate this with donor families and recipients alike and represent the Midlands as well as  Wolverhampton and Walsall.

“It is so important to register your decision on the organ donor register. It only takes two minutes and could save nine lives.

“It is 30 years since the Organ Donation register was set up, right here in Wolverhampton, thanks to the tireless work of John Cox and his daughter Christine . A total of nine out of 10 families will support organ donation if their loved one has registered their decision and with 7,600 people waiting for a life-saving transplant, now more than ever, I would ask for everyone to consider giving the greatest gift of all.”

The Organ Donor Register was set up to promote organ donation and allow people to record their decision. It was the result of a five-year campaign by John Cox and his daughter Christine after their son and brother, Peter, died in 1989. He had asked for his organs to be used to help others.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said:  “Thanks to the support of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare  NHS Trust during Organ Donation Week, we can get the message across to more people that organ donation saves lives.

“Every day across the UK thousands of patients and their families are waiting for a life-saving call. But this can often only happen as a result of another family receiving very difficult news and supporting organ donation to help others. 

“Thanks to the Cox family’s relentless campaigning the NHS Organ Donor Register has potentially saved the lives of thousands of people. This is an incredible legacy for Peter, and we are so very grateful to the whole Cox family for their tireless work over the years which made this possible.

“With more people, both adults and children, waiting for transplants, it’s more important than ever to confirm your organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. We urge everyone to take a moment this Organ Donation Week to register and confirm your decision.” 

To find out more and confirm your decision, visit the NHS Organ Donor Register Users of the NHS app, can also use this to record, check or amend their details or decision.

ENDS