With more than 105,000 people nationwide waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, including nearly 2,000 people in Maryland, the need for designated organ, eye and tissue donors has reached an all time high. Sadly, on average 18 people in the United States die every day due to the lack of available organs for transplant.
To help bring awareness to this growing health care crisis, LifeBridge Health has partnered with The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland (LLF) to provide employees and members of our community information about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation. The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland is a federally designated organ procurement organization dedicated to saving lives by facilitating the process of organ and tissue donation, recovery and transplantation.
During April, National Donate Life Month, The Living Legacy Foundation urges health care professionals, volunteers, educators, community groups, private organizations and the public at large to make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, eye and tissue donors and to raise awareness for the urgent need for life-saving organs and tissue. Throughout the month, a ‘donate life’ flag will be displayed in Greenspring Café at Sinai Hospital and Old Court Café at Northwest Hospital to honor the many individuals and families that have selflessly give the gift of life to others.
In 2009, Sinai Hospital helped facilitate 10 organ donors and nine tissue donors. Northwest Hospital facilitated one organ donor, its first in many years, and 11 tissue donors. In total, with the dedicated commitment of LifeBridge Health administration, staff and generous patients and families, 33 individuals were given a second chance at life through solid-organ transplantation and hundreds of lives were enhanced through tissue transplantation.
More than two million Maryland residents have already made the decision to designate themselves as organ, eye and tissue donors, either through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration or the Maryland Donor Registry, this statewide outreach will hopefully encourage others to make the decision to be a donor.
The Maryland Donor Registry also allows people who already designated their wishes either on their driver’s license or on the Maryland Donor Registry to specify their gifts of donation. Maryland residents are able to specify which organs and tissues they choose to donate for transplantation, medical research or both. The Donate Life Maryland web site also allows registered donors to share their wishes with family and friends with a simple e-mail.
LifeBridge Health has committed to helping to reduce the number of people waiting for a life-saving transplant by providing our employees with information about donation and transplantation and allowing each of us to make an educated decision about becoming a designated organ and tissue donor.
For more information on organ, eye and tissue donation please visit the Donate Life Maryland website at www.donatelifemaryland.org or call 866-MD-DONOR.
Showing posts with label organ donation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organ donation. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Organ Donors Save Lives
Did you know there are nearly 2,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant in Maryland?
There's never been a better time to sign up to become an organ donor, or to celebrate the accomplishments of transplant recipients. While the opening ceremony of the U.S. Transplant Games might be nearly a year away, Maryland transplant recipients are on the track, basketball court, in the pool, and on the course getting ready for next summer's games in Madison, Wisc.
As one of the world’s largest gathering of organ transplant recipients, the U.S. Transplant Games allows athletes – kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas and bone marrow recipients – to compete for medals in 12 sports, including bicycling, bowling, golf, racquetball, swimming, tennis and track and field events.
Last year, hailing from every corner of the state, Team Maryland athletes garnered 12 medals in total at the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh.
“The games are a real-life demonstration of the determination and courage transplant recipients possess,” says Latrice Price, Team Maryland manager. “The event also draws attention to the critical need for organ donation in this country and inspires others to take the first step towards saving a life by becoming a designated organ, eye and tissue donor.”
Nationally more than 82 million people are designated as organ and tissue donors. In addition to the nearly 2,000 people waiting in Maryland, there are more than 100,000 waiting nationally for their life-saving donation. The need for designated organ donors grows every day.
In 2008, Sinai Hospital had eight donors, adding to Maryland’s total of 119 organ donors and 373 tissue donors. From this generosity, 443 members of our community received the gift of life through an organ transplant.
“And as much as the games are an athletic event, they are also a celebration of life among recipients, donor families and physicians, allied professionals, and friends,” adds Price.
Team Maryland is always looking for new team members. Are you a transplant recipient and interested in competing at the games? The next meeting is July 13, 2009. Contact Latrice Price, Team Maryland Manager at lprice@thellf.org or 410-242-7000 for more information.
There's never been a better time to sign up to become an organ donor, or to celebrate the accomplishments of transplant recipients. While the opening ceremony of the U.S. Transplant Games might be nearly a year away, Maryland transplant recipients are on the track, basketball court, in the pool, and on the course getting ready for next summer's games in Madison, Wisc.
As one of the world’s largest gathering of organ transplant recipients, the U.S. Transplant Games allows athletes – kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas and bone marrow recipients – to compete for medals in 12 sports, including bicycling, bowling, golf, racquetball, swimming, tennis and track and field events.
Last year, hailing from every corner of the state, Team Maryland athletes garnered 12 medals in total at the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games in Pittsburgh.
“The games are a real-life demonstration of the determination and courage transplant recipients possess,” says Latrice Price, Team Maryland manager. “The event also draws attention to the critical need for organ donation in this country and inspires others to take the first step towards saving a life by becoming a designated organ, eye and tissue donor.”
Nationally more than 82 million people are designated as organ and tissue donors. In addition to the nearly 2,000 people waiting in Maryland, there are more than 100,000 waiting nationally for their life-saving donation. The need for designated organ donors grows every day.
In 2008, Sinai Hospital had eight donors, adding to Maryland’s total of 119 organ donors and 373 tissue donors. From this generosity, 443 members of our community received the gift of life through an organ transplant.
“And as much as the games are an athletic event, they are also a celebration of life among recipients, donor families and physicians, allied professionals, and friends,” adds Price.
Team Maryland is always looking for new team members. Are you a transplant recipient and interested in competing at the games? The next meeting is July 13, 2009. Contact Latrice Price, Team Maryland Manager at lprice@thellf.org or 410-242-7000 for more information.
Labels:
organ donation,
Sinai Hospital
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