Blessing Hospital organ and tissue donation efforts earn national recognition

QUINCY — For the second year in a row, Blessing Hospital and its Life Team have been awarded Platinum recognition from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration and Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network for “saving and healing lives by encouraging their employees and communities to register as organ, eye and tissue donors” through the National Hospital Organ Donation Campaign.

Gift of Hope is the nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating organ and tissue donation in the northern three-quarters of Illinois and northwest Indiana. Gift of Hope president/chief executive officer Harry Wilkins presented the award to representatives of Blessing Hospital and its Life Team representatives during a ceremony at the hospital on Nov. 11.

Blessing Hospital was one of 23 healthcare organizations in Gift of Hope’s service area to receive HRSA
Platinum award recognition for organ and tissue donation awareness efforts.

Between October 2021 and April 2022, Blessing Hospital and its Life Team conducted multiple awareness and registry activities, promoting new donor registrations. The activities included a social media campaign in which Blessing Health System employees were featured sharing personal stories of organ, eye and tissue donation; adding the State of Illinois organ and tissue donor registry as a link on the health system website; providing organ and tissue donation question and answer social media sessions; and conducting a special flag raising ceremony during April’s National Donate Life Month in honor of all of those in our community that have given or received the gift of life.

The Blessing Hospital Life Team is a multidisciplinary group that works with Gift of Hope regarding hospital organ and tissue donation policies and procedures, including staff education; and public awareness and outreach.

Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the organ transplant waiting list, reaffirming the critical and growing need for registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. For more information about becoming an organ and tissue donor, visit giftofhope.org.