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Suburban Community Hospital Honors Donor Heroes with Flag Raising During National Donate Life Month in April
East Norriton, PA (April 22, 2024) – Representatives and employees from Suburban Community Hospital and the Gift of Life Donor Program came together to participate in a flag-raising ceremony on April 22 to celebrate the start of National Donate Life Month and raise awareness for organ donation.
This year marks the Gift of Life’s one-year commemoration of their 50 years of service to the community.
According to the PA Donate Life website, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, with hundreds of thousands more in need of tissue transplants to enhance their quality of life. In Pennsylvania alone, over 5,000 individuals remain on the waiting list for an organ donation that could save or transform their lives.
In 2023, the generosity of two individuals gave the precious gift of life through organ donation at Suburban Community Hospital, giving new hope and opportunity to those awaiting organ and tissue transplants.
Those who were present at the ceremony had the opportunity to listen to remarks from Tameka Childs-Wolfe, Gift of Life Coordinator; Michael Motte, CEO, Suburban Community Hospital; Mary Frances Stapleton, CNO, Suburban Community Hospital; Danielle Becchina, phlebotomist and Suburban Community Hospital employee donor; and Tim Sawick, volunteer ambassador and donor recipient. They all shared their valuable insights and experiences with the audience in an engaging and thought-provoking manner.
At the event, Stapleton delivered a speech about the importance of organ donation and the significance of spreading awareness about this lifesaving cause. She emphasized the need for more people to register as organ donors and explained how just one donor can save multiple lives.
Becchina spoke about her experience donating 65% of her liver to someone in need due to a genetic disease. “It was an amazing experience, and I would do it again if I could.”
Sawick spoke about how his life was transformed by one of the first transplants in Gift of Life’s region, which enabled him to get married, raise seven children, and enjoy the company of 14 grandchildren, bringing him immense joy and happiness.
“My mother became my living donor after I was diagnosed with kidney disease in 1973, and I was transplanted by a Penn Medicine surgeon who was a co-founder and board member of the Gift of Life Donor Program.” He expressed his gratitude for his mother’s selfless act, which enabled him to continue enjoying his family and career.
Sawick went on to tell his story about how his brother was his living donor for a second transplant years later. “I received a kidney from my brother and a liver from a deceased donor in 2006, which allowed me to continue living.” Amid the gratitude and happiness, there was a devastating loss.
Sawick went on to share the moving tribute to his daughter Sara, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 20, highlighting her kindness and generosity as a “donor hero.” The Sawick family continues to honor her memory through Sara’s Shelter, a foundation that builds homes for families in Nicaragua, echoing Sara’s passion for helping others.
Childs-Wolfe emphasized the value of teamwork and delved into the intricacies of the transplant process, from donation to transplant, highlighting the significance of collaboration. She expressed gratitude towards the partners involved, “Your partnership has made it possible for us to make a profound impact on generations, far greater than any of us could have envisioned 50 years ago.”
Motte concluded the event by showing appreciation to all attendees for their support and shining a light on the remarkable speakers who shared their experiences and insights. He also highlighted the incredible work of the Gift of Life program and the hospital’s commitment to promoting organ donation awareness.
Guests at the event watched members of the hospital raise a special blue and green flag to serve as a constant reminder of the precious gift of life and the importance of choosing organ and tissue donation.
To learn more about organ and tissue donation and transplantation, or to register to become an organ donor, visit www.donors1.org .
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About Suburban Community Hospital – Suburban Community Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute care hospital, and a member of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity. For over 65 years, Suburban Community Hospital has been delivering quality healthcare to Montgomery County and the surrounding region. Suburban Community Hospital, originally named Riverview Hospital, opened in 1944. Chartered at 740 Sandy Street in Norristown, PA, Riverview Osteopathic Hospital would provide medical and surgical services to the sick, afflicted, and injured, and would educate persons in the care and nursing. As part of Prime Healthcare Services, headquartered in Ontario, California, Suburban Community Hospital is focused on becoming one of the leaders in technology.
Prime Healthcare is an award-winning hospital management company operating 44 acute care hospitals in 14 states, including Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia, Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, and Suburban Community Hospital in Montgomery County.
About Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 44 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.6 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation’s leading health systems with nearly 50,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare. Fourteen of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a Top 10 and Top 15 Health System by IBM Watson Health. Its hospitals have been named among the nation’s “100 Top Hospitals” 58 times and have received more Patient Safety Excellence Awards from Healthgrades than any other health system in the past six years. To learn more, please visit www.primehealthcare.com