Apr. 1, 2008

CONTACT:
Communications Department
(320) 251-2700, ext. 74980

St. Cloud Hospital recognizes National Donate Life Month

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Currently there are more than 97,000 men, women and children in the
United States in need of a life-saving organ transplant. Tragically, an average of 18 people die each day waiting.

April is National Donate Life Month, an important time set aside to honor those who have given the gift of life through organ and tissue donation, celebrate the successes of transplantation, and encourage more people to register as organ and tissue donors.

The staff at St. Cloud Hospital partners with LifeSource to help ensure that every person who has the potential to donate the life-saving gift of organs and tissues is given the opportunity to do so. LifeSource is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest. Our two organizations work closely together to provide compassionate and sensitive support to families in grief and ensure their loved one’s gifts of donation reach the recipients in need. Donation provides families with strength and comfort in knowing that their loved one was able to help others in need.

In 2007, 18 grateful recipients received the gift of life from seven generous organ donors at
St. Cloud Hospital. Organs donated include:

Two lungs
Two hearts
Four livers
10 kidneys

An additional six organs will aid in advancements in medical research. In addition, there were 55 people that received corneas — and the gift of sight — from 35 eye donors in 2007. LifeSource estimates that more than 1,200 people will benefit from the generous gifts of tissue given by 20 tissue donors at St. Cloud Hospital in 2007.

One person can save or enhance up to 60 lives through the donation of eye, tissue
and organs.

Please join LifeSource and St. Cloud Hospital during National Donate Life Month to honor the selfless and life-giving decision made by a record number of Americans. Then take the steps to donate life – check the box on your driver’s license and share your wishes with your loved ones. To learn more about how you can register to donate, please visit www.life-source.org.

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