According to Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, which serves Illinois and northwest Indiana, nearly 4,000 Illinoisans are currently waiting for an organ transplant.
“Organ donation is truly a priceless gift,” said Angela Hermes, nurse manager of the Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Springfield Memorial Hospital. “April is National Donate Life Month, and flag-raising ceremonies honor that gift while increasing awareness of the importance of becoming an organ donor.”
Tuesday’s ceremony featured remarks from officials from Memorial Health and Gift of Hope. Clay Yates, a local real estate agent who received a heart transplant in 2019, also spoke about the importance of organ donation.
Similar flag-raising ceremonies hosted by Memorial Health, Gift of Hope, Saving Sight and Eversight are planned for later in the month in Decatur and Lincoln.