Organ center awards Madison, Huntsville hospitals

MADISON – Alabama Organ Center has presented the 2016 Gift of Life Award to Madison Hospital and Huntsville Hospital. 

Alabama Organ Center recognized 12 hospitals in Alabama for their dedication to donation of organ and tissue, along with outstanding service in family care.

In addition to Huntsville and Madison hospitals, other award winners were the University of South Alabama Medical Center, Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, North Baldwin Infirmary, Baptist Medical Center South, East Alabama Health Care Authority, Bullock County Hospital, University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, DCH Regional Medical Center, Princeton Baptist Medical Center and Marshall Medical Center South.

Organ center officials selected the hospitals based on a variety of criteria that demonstrate the hospital’s commitment to a successful organ and tissue donation program. The criteria included education sessions provided to the staff, presence of a donation committee, donor family recognition, participation in National Donate Life Month activities, donation education offered to the community and other factors. 

“Without engaged hospital partners, we would not be able to offer the donation opportunity to families and provide organs and tissues for transplant to the thousands of people waiting nationally,” Chris Meeks said. Meeks is Executive Director of Alabama Organ Center.

Currently, more than 117,000 men, women and children in the United States are on the organ transplant waiting list. Approximately 3,000 of those people who are waiting are in Alabama. 

Unfortunately, on average, 20 people die each day because an organ does not become available in time. The need for organ donors is more critical than ever, Meeks said. 

Alabama Organ Center is the federally designated, nonprofit organ procurement organization for Alabama. Center employees coordinate organ and tissue donation for transplantation and research. 

The center is dedicated to working with healthcare and community partners to support donor families and encourage donations, along with providing community education to empower people to take action to become an organ and tissue donor. 

For more information and to register to be a donor, visit the Alabama Organ Center’s website at alabamaorgancenter.org or Facebook/Alabama Organ Center.