Lincoln County Hospital and Boston Pilgrim Hospital to raise tribute flags each time a person becomes an organ donor in Lincolnshire

Flags will be raised at hospitals across the county to honour those who have helped to save the lives of others by donating their organs.

The pink organ donation flag will fly at Lincoln County Hospital and Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital each time a person becomes a donor in Lincolnshire.

In 2024/25, hospital teams across the county supported seven families to donate the organs of their loved ones, resulting in 21 other people being able to receive an organ transplant.

Clinical lead for Organ Donation at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Dr Gary Wilbourn, praised the flag raising initiative and ‘life-changing impact’ that donating organs can have.

He said: “By raising a flag in Boston and Lincoln with their loved ones consent, we will honour the decision made to give the gift of life through organ donation each time it happens in our hospitals.

“We hope it will signify an opportunity to reflect on the life-changing impact being an organ donor has on all involved, including the donor, those recipients who may have been waiting a long time to receive an organ, their families and friends, and our NHS colleagues involved in their care.”

The flag raising will run alongside the existing tribute of organ donation memorial trees, which can be found in the main entrances of the Boston and Lincoln hospitals.

These flags were bought with the support of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity, which helps to provides additional items not funded through NHS budgets.

Since May 2020, an opt-out system for organ donation has been used across England, meaning people are automatically considered to have agreed to become an organ donor when they die if they are over the age of 18, have not opted out, or are in an excluded group.

Individuals can amend their decision on the NHS Organ Donator Register if they do not wish to become an organ donor — however, people are encouraged to share their decision with their family and loved ones.

Director of organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, Anthony Clarkson, said: “We are proud to see Lincolnshire’s hospitals flying the organ donation flag to honour the remarkable generosity of those who have saved lives through donation.

“Each flag raised is a powerful symbol of hope, compassion and the lasting legacy of donors and their families.

“These tributes not only acknowledge the incredible gift of organ donation but also help to raise vital awareness about the importance of sharing your decision with loved ones.

“We thank all those involved in supporting organ donation in Lincolnshire, across the country and the NHS.”

Across the UK there are currently more than 8,000 people waiting for a transplant.