Camden Clark Medical Center is supporting the efforts of the WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance to encourage residents throughout the state to share the love by registering as an organ donor on National Donor Day.
National Donor Day is observed annually on February 14 and was established to educate and spread awareness of the benefits of lifesaving organ and tissue donation. Each registered donor can save up to eight lives, restore sight for two through cornea donation and provide healing for more than 75 through tissue donation.
National Donor Day recognizes individuals who have given and received the gift of life through organ donation and those currently waiting for a transplant. National Donor Day is also an observance to honor patients who lost their lives while waiting for a transplant.
Nearly 400 patients in West Virginia are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. There are currently more than 105,000 patients on the national transplant wait list with a new person added as often as every 10 minutes. Individuals choosing to register as an organ donor on National Donor Day may do so by visiting RegisterMe.org/WVUMedicine.
In addition to its efforts to encourage organ donor registration, Camden Clark was recently honored by Donate Life with the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Life in 2022. Camden Clark was one of 13 hospitals to receive the award, which was presented to organizations meeting several criteria to help increase organ, cornea and tissue donation.
“We’re honored to have been named one of the West Virginia Governor’s Award for Life recipients for our efforts in 2022 to raise awareness and support lifesaving organ donation,” said Margaret Ferski-Caraballo, WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center Donate Life Liaison. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with partners such as Donate Life, the WVU Medicine Transplant Alliance and Lifeline of Ohio to encourage registration and save lives through organ donation.”
Donate Life acknowledged Camden Clark’s efforts in 2022 to provide care for five heroic organ donors, whose selfless gifts saved 13 lives. Camden Clark also earned the highest award in the 2022 Donate Life West Virginia Hospital Challenge for increasing awareness of organ, cornea and tissue donation, while encouraging individuals to register their donation decision.
“WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center is a model for hospitals in regard to donation advocacy,” said Andrew Mullins, CEO of Lifeline of Ohio, an organ procurement organization that serves 38 counties in Ohio, and Wood and Hancock counties in West Virginia. “We’re extremely proud to partner with them in their commitment to save and heal lives.”
To learn more about organ, cornea and tissue donation, visit www.donatelifewv.org.
