The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Hospital honors organ donors with flag
TORRINGTON >> Caregivers at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital (CHH) joined New England Donor Services and members of the public for a recent flag raising ceremony and awareness day as part of a national hospital organ donation campaign aimed at spreading awareness about the crucial need for organ, eye, and tissue donation.
Winsted resident Mike Shea did the honors by raising a new “Donate Life” flag on the hospital’s main campus flagpole that now flies alongside the American and Connecticut State flag. Shea’s wife Susan Shea is now seeking a kidney donor and attended the event with her husband and shared her story.
Susan Shean has a Facebook page — search “Team Suzaloo” to learn more and spread the word about her search for a kidney donor.
Several attendees came to honor the memory of their loved ones who in their final act of kindness improved the lives of many others throughout the world through their donation.
After the ceremony attendees joined others in the CHH cafeteria for refreshments and organ, eye and tissue donation information and registration. Several people stopped by to place their names on the donor registry.
“Springtime is a perfect time for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and New England Donor Services to come together to celebrate those who have participated and registered in this lifesaving organ and tissue donation program,” said Hospital Spokesman Tim LeBouthillier. “We encourage individuals to register as donors. It is a very meaning-
ful program and we are so pleased to partner with our colleagues at New England Donor Services to help fulfill the wishes of individuals and family members who want to make lifesaving donations to those in need.”
The organ and tissue donation process is complex and requires the coordinated efforts of many individuals. Doctors, nurses and other hospital staff work with Life Choice to honor a patient’s decision to donate. Visit registerme. org or www.lifechoiceOPO.org for more information about the organ/tissue donation process.
New England Donor Services is an affiliation of two federally designated Organ Procurement Organizations: LifeChoice Donor Services and New England Organ Bank. Together, the organizations coordinate the recovery of donated organs and tissues at nearly 200 hospitals to provide life-saving and life-enhancing transplants to patients in need.