St. Luke’s University Health Network has been recognized for its significant commitment to raising awareness of the need for organ donations by the Hospital & Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). St. Luke’s has received HAP’s top award of titanium for meeting the 2018 Donate Life Hospital Challenge. The challenge took place during the month of April.
The main hospital building at St. Luke’s University Hospital’s Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township, Pa. (FILE PHOTO)
“We are proud to participate in this important campaign and hope that it continues to raise awareness and increase the number of individuals who say ‘yes’ to donation,” said Rebecca Wilde-Onia, St. Luke’s trauma program manager.
The HAP Donate Life Hospital Challenge encourages Pennsylvania hospitals to increase organ donation awareness and provide opportunities for people to sign up as organ, eye and tissue donors within their hospital and community. The annual competition encourages healthcare organizations to get the word out about organ and tissue donation by offering points to participants for various tasks. Each hospital records evidence of activities completed on a scorecard during the campaign and then submits it to HAP’s Donate Life judges. The judges verify the evidence submitted and select the winners.
Some activities St. Luke’s participated in were Blue & Green Day, where people wear blue and green and decorate their work areas the colors of Donate Life to show their support; flag raising events; social media blasts and communications; and the Network-wide Celebrate Life Ceremony, which brings clinicians, donor families and organ recipients together to share their stories.
Each individual St. Luke’s Hospital in Pennsylvania contributed to the Network’s achievement. The individual campus awards are as follows:
- Allentown-Platinum
- Anderson-Titanium
- Bethlehem-Titanium
- Miners-Titanium
- Monroe-Titanium
- Quakertown-Platinum
HAP has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the two organ procurement organizations serving Pennsylvania—the Center for Organ Recovery & Education and Gift of Life Donor Program—to support the challenge.
Nationally 115,000 men, women and children await lifesaving organ transplants. Less than half of all Pennsylvanians (48 percent) are registered as organ donors.
Note: This local health news is brought to you in partnership with St. Luke’s University Health Network.
