Jacksonville Memorial Hospital will host a flag-raising ceremony on April 30 to highlight the importance of organ and tissue donation. The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the hospital’s main entrance.
The ceremony aims to raise awareness about the need for organ donors in Illinois, where nearly 5,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant, according to Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network.
“April is National Donate Life Month,” said Carrie Carls, chief nursing officer at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital. “We hold the flag-raising ceremony each year as a way to honor organ and tissue donors for giving the gift of life to others.”
Officials from Memorial Health, Saving Sight, and Gift of Hope are expected to speak during the event. Members of the public are invited to attend. Staff will be present in the hospital lobby to help register new donors.
Similar ceremonies will take place at four other Memorial Health hospitals in central Illinois.
