FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Michelle Aliprantis, MBA
Regional Director of Marketing and Communications
MAliprantis@primehealthcare.com
Lower Bucks Hospital Honors Donor Heroes with Flag Raising During National Donate Life Month in April
Bristol, PA (April 21, 2023) – Representatives and employees from Lower Bucks Hospital, Gift of Life Donor Program and transplant recipients participated in a flag-raising ceremony on April 20 in celebration of National Donate Life Month.
According to the PA Donate Life website, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant, and hundreds of thousands more are waiting for life-enhancing tissue transplants. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 7,000 people are on the waiting list. In 2022, Lower Bucks Hospital supported five organ donors and their families, resulting in eleven life-saving transplants and fourteen tissue donors.
“At Lower Bucks Hospital, we can save many lives through organ donation due to those who have generously donated an organ to someone in need,” said Michael Motte, CEO, Lower Bucks Hospital. “In many cases, organ, tissue, and eye donation cements the legacy of our donors by turning a tragic event into a lifesaving opportunity. We are proud to honor these heroes and the families who have supported their wishes.
Those who attended the ceremony heard remarks from Denise Cirio, Gift of Life Coordinator; Mary Ellen, Gift of Life Ambassador, and organ transplant recipient; Lea Rodriguez, CNO and Michael Mignone, Radiology Director of Lower Bucks Hospital.
During the ceremony’s opening, Cirio offered words of hope and encouragement, “You have built a strong culture of donation at Lower Bucks Hospital. This commitment includes executive leadership, physicians, nurses, and everyone on the staff. The complex process from donation to transplant is truly a team effort that depends on each one of you.”
Cirio added, “This not only takes hard work, but requires tremendous sensitivity and dedication to ensuring families have the opportunity to give life after the death of their loved one. We’d like to recognize Lea Rodriquez, Michael Mignone and Mike Motte for your strong advocacy and support.”
Organ transplant recipient Mary Ellen spoke about the first transplant she waited over a year to receive in 1979. She then finished law school in 1983, representing healthcare facilities. “I represented Lower Bucks Hospital for twenty years,” said Mary Ellen. “This hospital holds a special place in my heart.”
“This year marks 44 years since I have been given the gift of life. After receiving a cornea transplant, my life radically changed. Not only was I able to see, but my outlook on life has transformed,” shared Mary Ellen. “To help pay it forward, I volunteer so that I can share how becoming an organ and tissue recipient can become part of everyone’s legacy.”
During the ceremony, Mignone spoke about his hope for his father to have a lung transplant. “Because there’s such a shortage of organs in the U.S., it’s important to raise awareness, and my family and I are taking it one breath at a time.”
The hospital’s flag-raising ceremony supports those on the transplant waiting lists and honors organ and tissue donors and their families. During the ceremony, Rodriguez shared messages of support for organ and tissue donation.
“National Donate Life Month is an opportunity to honor our heroic organ and tissue donors and to celebrate the impact of organ donation and transplantation. It’s also a time to remember the people in our community that are waiting for a life-saving transplant. We ask everyone to join us in raising awareness and inspiring others to say yes to donation,” Rodriguez said.
After the ceremony, a special blue and green flag was raised outside Lower Bucks Hospital to serve as a constant reminder of the precious gift of life – and the importance of choosing organ and tissue donation.
To learn more about organ and tissue donation and transplantation, or to register to become an organ donor, visit 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. 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