PALMDALE – Palmdale Regional Medical Center will be raising a “Donate Life” flag next week as part of an effort to bolster organ and tissue donor registries in April, which is National Donate Life Month.
A public flag raising ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 27, outside the hospital, with speakers Richard Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Palmdale Regional; Tom Mone, Chief External Affairs Officer from OneLegacy; and an organ or tissue recipient ambassador.
Hospital staff members will be raising a 3’-by-5’ flag to motivate local residents to consider the benefits of organ donation and to then join the California Organ Donor Registry. By flying the Donate Life flag, Palmdale Regional will not only be raising public awareness about donation but also honoring all of their past organ, eye and tissue donors who have saved or enhanced lives.
“Organ and tissue donation can save and improve lives right here in our community, throughout the state of California and across the nation. Palmdale Regional wants to help drive that point home with this symbolic flag,” Allen said. “Joining the Donor Registry gives hope to those in need of organ and tissue transplants, while leaving a legacy of generosity for the donor and his or her family.”
In 2021, Palmdale Regional saved three lives through organ donation, healed over 750 lives through tissue donation, and restored the vision of five individuals through cornea transplantation. In 2022 so far, Palmdale Regional has given the gift of life to 10 recipients, the gift of healing to 375, and restored the vision of three recipients.
Tens of thousands of California residents are still waiting to receive life-saving hearts, livers, lungs, kidneys and other organs and tissue. However, there are not enough donors to meet the growing need in the state, let alone the country. In fact, 18 people die every day in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant, and the national waiting list holds more than 120,000 people.
Those wishing to make the commitment to donate may register online at www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or its Spanish-language counterpart, www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.
[Information via news release Palmdale Regional Medical Center.]
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