Phoebe Sumter Earns National Recognition For Promoting Organ Donation
Americus, GA | December 1, 2023 – Phoebe Sumter Medical Center earned national recognition for its efforts to increase organ, eye and tissue donor registrations amongst colleagues, the community and across the state of Georgia through the DoNation Campaign. DoNation engages workplaces of all sizes and industries to highlight the importance in the lifesaving and life-giving mission of organ and tissue donation and transplantation.
In partnership with LifeLink® of Georgia, the local organ and tissue recovery program, and Donate Life Georgia, the state’s organ and tissue donor registry, Phoebe Sumter earned Bronze recognition for conducting organ donation education and donor registration activities between October 1 and September 30.
During the 2022-2023 campaign cycle, Phoebe was one of 87 participating hospital partners within the LifeLink® service area. Through flag raisings, ceremonial honor walks, donor registration tabling events, social media, Donate Life spirt week activities, community events, media and more, new donor registrations were added to the Donate Life Georgia state donor registry.
“It is an honor to be recognized for our dedication and commitment in support of organ donation. Our team has worked very hard to further educate our staff and community on the importance of organ donation, which provides the gift of life to so many people each year,” said Carlyle Walton, CEO, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center.
Nationally, over 103,000 individuals are waiting for a lifesaving transplant and more than 3,000 of those individuals live in Georgia. Unfortunately, every day in the United States 17 people pass away because an organ was not available in time to save their lives, and every nine minutes, another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list. This ongoing need reaffirms the critical and growing need for more registered organ, eye, and tissue donors. Anyone, regardless of their age or health can make their decision to become a registered organ and tissue donor when obtaining a driver license through the Department of Driver Services, when purchasing a hunting or fishing license online through the Department of Natural Resources or online by going to www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org. For more information about the DoNation Campaign, visit www.organdonor.gov/professionals/workplace.