A sculpture, designed in recognition of the life-saving impact of organ donation, has been unveiled at a hospital.
Displayed at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, the green sphere, made of brass and steel and which includes various human organ shapes, was made by local artist David Murphy, whose own sister received a kidney transplant.
Marking the start of national Organ Donation Week, it was unveiled by the family of former doctor Diana Episcopo, who at age of 84 became the oldest organ donor in the South West.
Her daughter, Joanne Episcopo, said: “We know that as a donor, her organs helped three different people in improving, and possibly prolonging, their lives.”
Dr Episcopo passed away in 2022 and was “completely committed to the NHS all her working life”, her family said.
“She would have been delighted about this, and possibly a little surprised that even at the age of 84 she was still helping people to have better lives,” Ms Episcopo said.
In the last five years, 18 people donated their organs posthumously at Great Western Hospitals, saving the lives of 47 others across the country.
Mr Murphy, said: “I know first hand how important the circle of life is and wanted to show this through my art.
“I’ve chosen to entwine various organs into the brass to show how everyone is joined together through the extraordinary process of organ donation.”
Organ donation in England is done under an “opt-out” system, meaning all adults are presumed donors unless they register to opt out.
However, people are encouraged to register their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register as the family of a potential donor is always consulted.
Consultant anaesthetist and chair of the Organ Donation Committee, Malcolm Watters, said a single person could save “up to nine lives” by choosing to donate their organs after death.
“Only a very small number of people die in a way that it is possible for them to be organ donors, so the more people who register as donors, the better chance we have of organ donation being possible,” he said.
Across Wiltshire, 93 people are currently waiting for an organ.