April is Donate Life month which encourages organ donation registration. To build awareness and support for organ donation, Reading Hospital raised the “2023 Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) Donate Life Challenge” flag on Wednesday morning in front of the Fifth Ave entrance.
During the ceremony, Jason and Amanda Hornberger shared their personal stories with organ donation. Amanda is part of a donor family and Jason is a two-time living donor.
The flag was raised by Eileen Ravert, RN, and Cheryl Machemer, RN, coordinators of the Reading Hospital 2023 Donate Life Challenge.
“Organ donation is so important because 17 people in the US die each day while waiting for a donor,” said Barbara Romig, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer for Reading 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 donors1.org.
