Members of the UM Shore Regional Health Same Day Surgery and Endoscopy at Easton team dressed in blue and green to honor organ donors on Blue and Green Day, which was Friday, April 22. From left are Alexis Coverdale, RN; Maddi Nagel, RN; Stacy Dion, RN; Cindy Coulbourne, unit secretary; Renee Thomas, RN; Amy Schwaninger, RN; and Amanda Coate, RN.
University of Maryland Shore Regional Health celebrated April as National Donate Life Month, honoring organ donors and bringing awareness to saving or enhancing lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. On April 22, UM SRH team members wore blue and green in honor of National Donate Life Blue and Green Day, which encourages the sharing of the Donate Life message and promotes the importance of registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor.
"Thanks to the generosity of donors and their families, and the dedication of health care and transplant professionals, many lives were saved through donation and transplantation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic," said Chris Wright, Hospital Services Coordinator for The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland and UM Shore Regional Health. “Those families who have experienced organ donation from the giving side are comforted in knowing that, even in death, their loved one is helping others.”
From left are Petra Raiford, medical assistant; Fallon Bauer, PA; Mohammad Walid Kamsheh, MD; Rena Sukhdeo Singh, MD; and Rahel Alemu, NP.
Created by Donate Life America in 2003, Donate Life Month is observed annually to honor organ donors and their families' choice to save lives. In 2021, more than 41,000 lives were saved in the United States through organ donation, and of these, more than 34,000 were saved thanks to deceased donors.
The Donor Council of UM Shore Regional Health and The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland regularly educate the community about organ donation through information sessions about the donation process as well as awareness tables on our hospital campuses.
From left are Fallon Bauer, PA; Ebony Gibson, medical assistant; Tatyana Valentin, NP; JeShaquan Bittinger, medical assistant; Courtney Frost, lead front office coordinator; Meredith Bennet, practice manager; Trisha Lemay, NP; and Kristina Parker-Burris, front office coordinator.
About 95 percent of adults in the U.S. support organ donation, but only slightly more than 50 percent are registered donors. Educating hospital staff about the process supports organ donation registration by enabling them to educate the public and encourage discussion among family members about options for their end-of-life wishes. Maryland registered more than 220,000 new organ donors in 2021.
To register as an organ donor, visit the Maryland Vehicle Administration while obtaining or renewing a driver's license or state ID, or visit The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland online at www.thellf.org .
About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health
As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.
About the University of Maryland Medical System
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the UM Schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s 28,000 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations and at 12 hospitals. UMMS’ flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore is partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.
