A flag-raising ceremony was held at Porter Regional Hospital on Tuesday April 15 to recognize National Donate Life Month. Porter is a strong advocate for organ donation and so to help raise awareness, celebrate the lives that were saved because of those donations, and keep alive the memories of those who made the life-saving donations, April 15 was declared Porter Regional Hospital's Donate Life Day.
Porter Regional Hospital's CEO, Steve Lunn, spoke at the ceremony along with others who had their lives changed by organ donations.
"I recognize National Donate Life Month and Donate Life Day as excellent opportunities to help join the fight to save lives by giving the greatest gift. Now therefore I Steven Lunn, CEO or Porter Regional Hospital, do hereby proclaim April 15, 2014 as Porter Regional Hospital Donate Life Day," Lunn stated to the crowd at the ceremony. "There's an urgent need for organ donors around the country so the National Donate Life Month observance was created in 2003 to promote a greater understanding of the lifesaving benefits of donating. Moreover, the need is increasing and Porter Regional Hospital along with Indiana Organ Procurement Organization are committed to addressing the need through enhanced awareness. More than 1,500 Indiana residents and 120,000 American are on the transplant waiting list. Every 10 minutes someone is added to the list and 18 people die each day awaiting a transplant.
Rhonda Berger's daughter, Jennifer, was taken in 2009 from an apartment fire. She was an organ donor and now because of her choice, other people are able to live full and wonderful lives. Betty and Zack received transplants thanks to Jennifer and they remain close to the Berger family because in a way, the Bergers are able to still see Jennifer living.
"Seeing their lives blossom because of Jennifer's gift has been healing for us," Berger said. "And it's something I don't regret. I'd do it again...if you aren't registered to be an organ donor, please do. I'm telling you that it will be very helpful to the families if something happens and one of their members needs a transplant. To know that part of you still lives on out there somewhere is wonderful."
Donate Life America, a nonprofit alliance of organizations and groups throughout the US that is dedicated to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation, states that more than 120,000 Americans and more than 1,500 people from Indiana alone are waiting for organ transplants. National Donate Life Month honors the selflessness of organ, eye, and tissue donors and their families and commemorates all transplant recipients in the United States.
"Individuals in need are moms, dads, children and friends that are important to us or someone else. I encourage all in our community to think about your loved ones and consider becoming a donor," Lunn urged.
For more information about Donate Life America and to register as a donor, visit www.donatelife.net.
Georgia Ramey, an RN and Donor Council Chair at Porter Regional Hospital was at the ceremony and she along with others helped to make the event a reality.
"A group of staff members at the hospital as well as myself meet every month and do our best to make organ donations a big thing here at the hospital. We work on education for the staff, talk about cases that we've had, and how we can improve how the process works," Ramey said.
She concluded by saying, "This is important to me because you know it's important but you don't know how important organ donations are until you've experienced it yourself...If you can save someone else's life out of whatever tragedy you are going through then it's a good thing."
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