Pottstown Hospital, Phoenixville Hospital hold Organ Donation Awareness flag raising ceremonies

Pottstown Hospital and Phoenixville Hospital celebrated their commitment to building awareness and support for organ donation by each raising a “2024 Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania Donate Life Challenge” flag earlier this month.

The hospitals participate in the Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania and Gift of Life Donor Program to encourage everyone to register as organ, tissue, and cornea donors.

Pottstown Hospital’s ceremony had honored guests, Julie and Domingo Lopez, who shared their personal story about their daughter before raising the HAP Donate Life flag. Several Pottstown Hospital ICU staff members who cared for the Lopez’s daughter were able to reconnect with the family after the ceremony.

“It’s important to know that anyone can be a potential organ donor regardless of medical history, age, or race,” said Lynn Shoap, ICU Critical Manager, Pottstown Hospital. “This is imperative because there are more than 95,000 individuals across the country waiting for a kidney, liver, heart, or lung transplant and every day more people are added to the list. By becoming an organ donor, you can give the most special gift, the gift of life, to those in need.”

At Phoenixville Hospital, an organ recipient was their honored guest during their flag-raising ceremony. The organ recipient shared her story with Phoenixville Hospital staff and raised the HAP Donate Life flag while the staff cheered on, including some organ donors and families of organ recipients.

“Organ donation is so important because 17 people in the US die each day while waiting for a donor,” said Aileen Bojko, RN, BSN, Critical Care Director, Phoenixville Hospital. “I encourage everyone to consider becoming an organ donor and talk to their loved ones about their wish to do so. Being an organ donor is a selfless act that provides those in need and their families the priceless gift of life.”

Some important facts about organ, tissue, and cornea donation:

• Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race, or medical history.

• More than 5,000 children and adults in the region await life-saving organ transplants. Thousands of others could benefit from life-enhancing tissue transplants.

• With more than 90,000 people across the nation awaiting a kidney, it is the organ in greatest demand, followed by liver, heart and lungs.

• Because conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are often more prevalent in the minority community, these individuals make up more than 50 percent of those on the national organ transplant list.

Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about registering as a donor. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and a tissue donor can improve the lives of more than 100 others. For more information and to register to become an organ donor, visit www.donors1.org.