A flag-raising event was held at UPMC Harrisburg to kick off Donate Life Month, which is observed annually in April. The event honors deceased and living donors, celebrates the lives they’ve saved, and creates awareness of the importance of registering to be a donor.
Among those present were Clarence Banks, who has been on the transplant waiting list since 2020; Priscilla Glusko, an active Gift of Life Ambassador, who shared how her son Anthony’s gift changed so many lives with his donations and; Terry Frederick, who received a kidney transplant in March of 2023 through a paired exchange – her son-in-law donated on her behalf.
Harold Yang, M.D., transplant surgeon, UPMC Transplant Services, reiterated that the impact of a single donation cannot be understated. One organ, tissue, and eye donor has the potential to save eight lives and help more than 75 people. Each day, 20 people in the United States die while on the organ transplant waiting list because a suitable match was not found. While life-saving organs for transplant include the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines, you can also donate tissues such as bone, ligaments, and tendons, which are used to repair injured or diseased joints and bones. Corneas, heart valves, veins and skin may also be donated.
By registering as an organ donor, you have the ability to save lives and offer hope to those on the waiting list. To register as an organ donor or just to learn more about organ donation visit www.UPMC.com/DonateLife
