Sjællands Universitetshospital and Region Sjælland have launched a new Danish mourning symbol, a small white angel wing with the words “Jeg har mistet”. It is meant to help bereaved people signal that they need extra consideration in everyday life.
DR reports that the pin, called the sorg-vinge, can be worn on clothing by people who have lost someone close. The idea is that colleagues, neighbors and strangers can see when a person is grieving.
According to the press release from Region Sjælland, dated August 17, 2026, the wing is a modern version of the traditional mourning band. Wearing it is voluntary, and the region describes the aim as giving the bereaved a voice without words.
Region Sjælland states that more than 1,000 wings will initially be handed out free of charge. They go to more than 32 hospices, hospital departments and palliative teams across Denmark, as noted in a separate DR news item on the launch.
The idea grew out of the palliative care team, Teamet for Lindrende Behandling, at Sjællands Universitetshospital. It also draws on support groups for parents who have lost a child, part of the Danish healthcare system’s work with grief and end-of-life care.
Initiator Malene Beck is a professor of pediatric nursing and research leader at the hospital. She told DR’s P1 Morgen that a form of awkwardness surrounds conversations about death. Per Beck, the wing may prompt a considerate nod or a hand on the shoulder, and it is intended as a universal symbol for anyone who has lost someone they love.
Co-initiator Kari Friis Larsen, a palliative care nurse, points to the return to work after a death. As reported by DR, she says employees are often expected to step back into their normal role quickly. According to Larsen, the wing can show colleagues that a person is in a vulnerable place and may not be themselves.
Criticism of the wording
TV2 ØST reports that Region Sjælland and Sjællands Universitetshospital present the initiative as part of a broader ambition. The aim, as stated by the region, is to make grief more visible and more natural to relate to.
The plan has also drawn criticism. Hospital chaplain Lotte Mørk supports the idea of a mourning symbol but questions the text “Jeg har mistet”. Speaking to Kristeligt Dagblad, she says the wording can feel as if the bereaved are imposing their grief on others.
Mørk also asks why people should have to signpost their vulnerability at all. Other critics cited by DR and Kristeligt Dagblad fear the opposite effect. They say a visible symbol could lead some people to keep their distance instead of approaching the bereaved.
