April 3rd, at hospitals nationwide. honor bridge The service area participated in the Pause to Give Life event to recognize the importance of organ donation.
The Donate Life flag was flown outside. ECU Health Medical Center We honor the donors, their families, those waiting, and the recipients of the gift of life. The ceremony is usually held outdoors, but due to inclement weather this year it was held in the interfaith chapel at ECU Health Medical Center.
A moment of silence was observed at 10:08 a.m. to signify that one donor can save eight lives.
Last year, ECU Health Medical Center had 31 organ donors, 75 organs were transplanted, and 17 were sent for research. He had 49 tissue donors at the medical center and 140 tissues were recovered. In addition, 80 eye donors transplanted his 98 corneas, 28 were placed for research, and 16 whole eyes were retrieved. This was a record number of transplants performed at ECU Health Medical Center, including 130 kidney and kidney-pancreas transplants and five pediatric transplants.
During the event, Jenny Godwin, a retired nurse at ECU Health Medical Center, spoke about the importance of organ donation. Mr. Godwin donated a kidney to his colleague’s 3-year-old daughter in February, and he said he felt he needed to step up for her friend.
“When I went into the Test, I knew I was going to be available for the match. That’s how I and my husband felt, and we felt very passionate about doing this,” Godwin said. “It was really amazing because it was the first time I experienced peace throughout the whole experience.”
During her time at ECU Health, Godwin worked on the transplant team and said it was a full-circle moment for her to be on the other side as a patient.
She said the opportunity to become an organ donor gave her a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
“People always say it’s better to give than to receive, but I can tell you it feels amazing knowing that I gave her life,” Godwin said. “So she’s three years old and her whole life ahead of her is ahead of her. It’s really great for her to know that she got to be a part of it too.”
Godwin said she was tired for the first few weeks after the surgery, but now, just over a month after the surgery, she feels good and is back to her old self, including running around with her children.
Dr. David ReaserECU Health Medical Center’s head of transplantation also spoke during the event, saying it’s important to recognize those who say yes to organ donation, whether as a living donor or after death. He also said it’s important to raise awareness about the need for organ donation, as there are 100,000 patients nationwide and 3,000 patients waiting for donation here in North Carolina.
He said a transplant takes a whole village and all of his work as a transplant surgeon would not be possible without the many teams working to make each surgery possible.
“Transplant teams are large. We have organ procurement organizations like HonorBridge, and they come to the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week, meeting with families and preparing to acquire donors,” Dr. Reaser said. Ta. “Once we have a donor, we arrange for a surgeon to remove the organ for transplant, and before the transplant takes place we know who the organ will go to and all the elements needed to get the organ to the recipient hospital. Each transplant program has social workers, nutritionists, nurses, and doctors, all of whom are critical to ensuring a successful transplant. We stand on the shoulders of so many dedicated professionals who do such hard work.”
ECU Health is grateful to the more than 5 million North Carolinians who have registered as organ, eye and tissue donors. We also appreciate the efforts of our partners at the North Carolina Department of Transportation, who ask questions every day as part of their job. We are united in our mission to save lives, heal lives, and create a culture where giving is a fundamental human responsibility.
If you are interested in learning more about organ donation or becoming an organ donor, please click here. ECU Health Donor Registration Portal or Donate Life website For many.
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