Black Donor Living Choir Visit - September 2024
visit the Friends of the Royal London Hospital Music Project to
CELEBRATE NATIONAL ORGAN DONATION WEEK 2024
The BLDC came to the Royal London Hospital on 23rd September 2024 to mark the beginning of National Organ Donation Week. The choir is part of the Gift of Living Donation (GOLD) charity, which was founded by Dr Dela Idowu (above right) after she became a kidney donor for her brother. Please see; https://www.giftoflivingdonation.co.uk/black-living-donor-choir/
The choir comprises Black living kidney donors and their director Colin Vassell (third from the right ) is a leading international vocal coach and singer of inspirational and gospel music.
Dela says she ‘created the choir as way of using music and personal experiences to educate the Black African and Caribbean community about chronic kidney disease’. But as they demonstrated at the hospital they do so much more than that, they educate and inspire everyone. The recital was introduced by Dr Raj Thuriasingham (on the extreme left), the Divisional Director of Specialist Medicine, who spoke about the Renal Services and kidney donation.
ITV London Evening News filmed the occasion and the interviews with choir members & others were conducted by Sally Williams the ITV London ‘weather girl’.
Prof. Trevor Beedham President 23.9.24