April Highlights Organ Donation

April’s National Donate Life Month is being observed throughout the Southland with events ranging from flag raisings and proclamations to a golf tournament and the largest run/walk of its kind in the country. Organized by the staff, volunteers and community partners of OneLegacy, the non-profit, federally-designated organ, eye and tissue recovery organization serving the greater Los Angeles area, the events aim to inspire Californians to support organ, eye and tissue donation and transplantation. Participants include 43 hospitals and transplant centers, six counties, nearly 170 cities and thousands of individuals. “This is our greatest year for municipal proclamations, demonstrating the support of our civic leaders who are working with us to save lives and create healthier communities,” said Tom Mone, chief executive officer of OneLegacy. “We are grateful to our many hospital partners and supportive public officials who are joining with us to celebrate the remarkable life-saving results of organ, eye and tissue donation.” Throughout April, observances of the Donate Life Flags Across America initiative will see flags being raised as symbols of unity and hope, with flag raising ceremonies and participation at 27 Southland hospitals. OneLegacy and Donate Life’s trademark colors will be commonplace at transplant centers, hospitals, DMV field offices and in social media on National Blue & Green Day, Friday, April 17. On April 20, St. Joseph Health is sponsoring the fourth annual golf tournament produced by the Mission Hospital Organ Donor Council. Following registration at 7:30 a.m., the tournament will tee off with a shotgun round at 8:30 a.m. at San Juan Hills Golf Club in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Proceeds from the event will support the Donor Memorial at Mission Hospital. Capping the month is the 13th Annual Donate Life Run/Walk and Family Festival at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, April 25. More than 12,000 people organized into hundreds of donor family teams, 25 hospital teams and dozens of other groups and organizations are expected to participate in the largest event of its kind in the country. A program of the OneLegacy Foundation, the Donate Life Run/Walk was inspired by a living donor, Kathleen Hostert, and her kidney recipient, husband Craig. After 14 years, Craig received a second kidney from their son, Justin. A committee of 71 volunteers has devoted time and energy, year after year, to honor donor families, thank living donors, celebrate the renewed health of transplant recipients and give hope to patients in need of transplants. The Donate Life Run/Walk is a signature program of the OneLegacy Foundation that educates and inspires the community about organ, eye and tissue donation. Throughout the month, OneLegacy Ambassadors and Embajadores de OneLegacy – trained English- and Spanish-speaking volunteers who have been touched by donation and transplantation – will receive proclamations from six counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange, Kern and Santa Barbara, as well as 169 cities. Each proclamation of “DMV/Donate Life California Month” affirms the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ role in the enrollment of 95 percent of the state’s 12 million designated donors on the statewide Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry. These volunteers will also share their stories at educational booths at 43 Southland hospitals. For more information on how to register for the Donate Life Run/Walk, visit www.donateliferunwalk.org. To register as a donor, visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.