Celebrated in April each year, National Donate Life Month (NDLM) features an entire month of local, regional, and national activities to help encourage Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and to celebrate those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.
Currently, more than 120,000 men, women, and children are awaiting organ transplants to save their lives – and every 10 minutes, a new name is added. Thousands more are in need of tissue and corneal transplants to restore their mobility and sight.
Cooper is instrumental and ensuring that patients who have chosen to have their organ donated will have their wishes fulfilled. The Cooper Donor Council, made up of members from various clinical departments, partners with the NJ Sharing Network in facilitating organ donation. Through their efforts, between January 1 and March 17, 2017, Cooper has facilitated four donor wishes – saving the lives of eight people in desperate need of a transplant. In addition, there have been 14 tissue and eye donors resulting in 626 gifts of bone, skin, heart valve, and cornea to patients.
Did you know …
• Cooper received bronze status in 2016 for our efforts in promoting National Donate Life Month. This year, we are striving for gold.
• Cooper Donor Council assists the NJ Sharing Network in developing protocols for successful organ donation.
• At Cooper, each time a patient and their family consent to a donation a white flag is hoisted on the flag pole at the Roberts Pavilion entrance. A donor memorial service will be held later this year.
To learn more, visit: njsharingnetwork.org