QVH turns pink to shine a light on the gift of sight

Last Friday, we lit up our iconic clock tower pink on Friday 25 September to mark Organ Donation Week, with a simple message for local people: talk to your family about your donation wishes and make sure they know what you would want.

Our East Grinstead landmark joined buildings across the country turning pink as part of NHS Blood and Transplant’s national campaign to raise awareness of organ and tissue donation.

New figures from NHS Blood and Transplant highlight just how important conversations with loved ones can be. Between April 2021 and March 2026, more than 700 potential organ donations did not go ahead because families did not know for certain what their loved one would have wanted. With each deceased donor donating three organs on average, this represents around 2,127 missed opportunities for transplant.

At QVH, the focus is particularly on corneal donation, and the life-changing difference donated corneas can make to people at risk of losing their sight.

Donated corneas are used to replace or repair corneas damaged by disease or injury, helping to save or restore people’s sight. Our specialist surgeons carry out corneal transplant surgery, but without donated corneas these sight-saving operations simply cannot happen.

Mohamed Elalfy, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Clinical Director of the QVH Eye Bank, said:

“Every corneal transplant we carry out is only possible because someone made the decision to donate. Without donors, we simply cannot perform this sight-saving surgery.

“But making that decision is only part of it. Please talk to your family and make sure they know your wishes. When someone dies, their loved ones are involved in conversations about donation, and that is an incredibly difficult time to be asked to consider what the person would have wanted.

“Having that conversation now can make such a difference. It means those closest to you know your wishes and are better able to support them.

“Our clock tower turned pink this week to get people talking. I hope it prompts families across our community to have that conversation, because the gift of a donated cornea can save or restore someone’s sight and transform their quality of life.”

One patient described the difference their care at QVH has made:
“If it wasn’t for the care I’ve received, I wouldn’t be able to live a normal life. I feel blessed.”

QVH’s specialist Eye Bank team works across Sussex, Surrey and Kent and supports healthcare professionals to understand corneal donation and the importance of conversations about donation, as well as preparing donated corneas for transplant surgery.

Corneal donation is possible for many people who might assume they cannot donate. People who wear glasses or have previously had cataract surgery, for example, may still be able to donate their corneas.

Although England has an opt-out system for organ donation, families are still consulted when donation is possible. NHS Blood and Transplant encourages people to record their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and, crucially, to tell their loved ones what they want.

Our message is simple: decide what you would want, record your decision and, most importantly, talk to your family so they know your wishes.

We are grateful to Miles Audio Visual in East Grinstead for generously providing the lighting that made it possible to illuminate our clock tower pink.

Find out more and record your decision at www.organdonation.nhs.uk.