A BEAUTIFUL sculpture has been unveiled at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, remembering and celebrating organ donors.

Called ‘An Hourglass of Butterflies’, the sculpture has been installed to recognise the incredible gift of life given to others by patients at the end of their lives, with the support of their families.

This permanent reminder of the life-changing difference organ and tissue donation can have serves not only as a place for families to remember and celebrate their loved ones but for others to reflect on such an incredible act and consider joining the organ donation register.

Two identical sculptures were installed by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at their hospitals in Basingstoke and Winchester ahead of this week’s Organ Donation Week, which runs until Sunday.

An Hourglass of Butterflies was designed by Tony and Karen Van De Bospoort, of the hospital art studio, and funded by the Hampshire Hospitals charity. Tony and Karen have been working on the two six-feet sculptures for more than a year and have been working closely with the Trust.

The special event to unveil the artwork was attended by family members whose loved ones became organ donors, as well as members of staff from the hospital who have supported families through organ donation and staff from the NHS blood and transplant team.

The sculpture was unveiled by Donna Green, chief nurse at the Trust, who said: “We see families come together in extraordinary circumstances to do something remarkable for others, and I have seen first hand how life-changing this can be.

“We hope that this sculpture will not only celebrate and remember previous organ donors but encourage others to support this life-changing decision.”

Last year, more than 400 patients died in the UK awaiting a transplant.

To sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, visit organdonation.nhs.uk.