Iowa Donate Life Event at Jennie Edmundson April 2

COUNCIL BLUFFS - Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital is joining with Iowa Donor Network to Inspire Iowa to Donate Life during National Donate Life Month this April.

Throughout Donate Life Month, Iowa Donate Life celebrates transplant recipients who have been given a new life, shines light on the many more who are still waiting, and honors donors and their families.

On April 2 at 9 a.m., Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital will hold a recognition event, celebrating the gift of life given by those who chose to become organ and tissue donors.

The event will be held in the lobby of Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, and will include remarks from the family of an Iowa organ donor, representatives from the Iowa Donor Network and the Hospital. Following the remarks, a flag raising ceremony of the Donate Life flag will occur. The goal is to inspire more Iowans to become organ and tissue donors.

Approximately 69 percent of adults are registered donors in Iowa. Still, the number of people in need of transplants continues to outpace the number of donor organs. There are 116,000 Americans currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, over 715 of those live in Iowa. Unfortunately, not all those waiting will receive an organ in time. On average, 22 people die each day in the United States while waiting for a transplant.

In 2017, Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital assisted in tissue donation from six families. The impact of each donation is tremendous. When one family consents to tissue donation, between 50 and 300 people have their lives enhanced by the gifts of donation. The average is 75 people. An organ donor is able to enhance the life of up to 8 individuals.

Registering to become a donor is the most effective way to ensure you can save lives through donation and serves as a sign of hope for those who continue to wait. You can become a donor by registering at www.iowadonornetwork.org.

Donate Life Month celebrations will be held at hospitals, EMS agencies and driver’s license stations across Iowa throughout April. Buildings across the state will also Light Up For Life and illuminate their buildings in green through the month. National Wear Blue/Green day in honor of donation will be Friday, April 13th. For more information about Iowa Donor Network activities please visit our website at:  www.iowadonornetwork.org.

About Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital
Established in 1886 and affiliated with Methodist Health System since 1994, Jennie Edmundson Hospital, is a 230-bed regional health care center serving approximately 250,000 residents in southwestern Iowa. Jennie Edmundson Hospital employs a workforce of 464 full-time and nearly 250 part-time staffers, and has an active staff of 132 physicians. It is the only hospital in this region of the state with the capability to perform emergency angioplasty procedures and has southwest Iowa’s only accredited cancer program. 

About Iowa Donor Network
Based in North Liberty, Iowa Donor Network is the fully accredited and federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Iowa. Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, IDN coordinates with health care professionals, funeral directors and others involved in the donation process. IDN also works with donor families before, during and after donation, to educate, support, and help families work through their grief. For more information, log on to www.IowaDonorNetwork.org, or call (800) 831-4131.