Donate Life Month Flag-Raising Ceremony Held at Lower Bucks Hospital
Bristol, PA (April 6, 2022)— On April 1, at Lower Bucks Hospital, a small group gathered outside the flagpole to recognize April as Donate Life Month.
Those who attended the flag raising ceremony heard remarks from Michael Motte, Chief Executive Officer, Lower Bucks Hospital; Denise Cirio Coordinator, Gift of Life; Michael Mignone, Director of Radiology Services, Lower Bucks Hospital; Lea Rodriguez, Chief Nursing Officer, Lower Bucks Hospital; and Kelly Schmitt, Ambassador, Gift of Life, and organ donor recipient. The flag-raising ceremony is part of the gift of life organ donor awareness initiative.
“The flag-raising is an opportunity to publicly recognize the generosity of families who have offered this gift to others while experiencing a profound personal loss,” said Lea Rodriguez, Chief Nursing Officer of Lower Bucks Hospital. “Whenever a family chooses donation, we raise this flag to honor those who have given one of the greatest gifts there is…the gift of life.”
Rodriguez added, “Donate Life Month and raising the flag allows us to take a moment to reflect and truly recognize the selfless gifts made by so many generous organ and tissue donors and families.”
According to the PA donate life website, more than 118,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant, and hundreds of thousands more wait for life-enhancing tissue transplants. In Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 7,000 people on the waiting list.
“We are proud to honor and celebrate donors and their families,” said Katrina Plachta, Patient Experience Coordinator, Lower Bucks Hospital. “The flag will act as a reminder of the role donors and their families play in healing our community.”
Established in 2003, National Donate Life Month occurs every April and features local, regional, and national activities that encourage Americans to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, members in attendance looked onward, while Jim Bradley, Director of Security, hoisted the Donate Life flag outside of the hospital. Tears were shed and words were exchanged remembering that the generous acts that led to this day. The flag will fly for the month of April to serve as a constant reminder of the precious gift of life – and the importance of choosing organ and tissue donation.
To register as an organ donor, sign up on the Pennsylvania Donor Registry website at www.donors1.org.
###
About Lower Bucks Hospital: Lower Bucks Hospital is a community hospital, serving the Lower Bucks County region with medical, surgical, and emergency care. Located in historic Bristol, Pennsylvania, the Hospital is well-known for its knowledgeable medical staff, including cardiology, orthopedics, radiology, wound care, and general surgery. The hospital has more than 200 physicians on staff, as well as another 700 employees. As part of Prime Healthcare Services, headquartered in Ontario, California, Lower Bucks Hospital is focused on becoming one of the leaders in technology. Prime Healthcare is an award-winning hospital management company operating 45 acute care hospitals in 14 states, including Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia, Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, and Suburban Community Hospital in Montgomery County.
About Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.6 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation’s leading health systems with nearly 50,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare. Prime Healthcare was founded by Dr. Prem Reddy, a physician with a mission to save hospitals, improve community healthcare and provide the very best care to patients. Fourteen of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a Top 10 and Top 15 Health System by IBM Watson Health. Its hospitals have been named among the nation’s “100 Top Hospitals” 58 times and have received more Patient Safety Excellence Awards from Healthgrades than any other health system in the past six years. To learn more, please visit www.primehealthcare.com