April is National Donate Life Month

Blessing Health System employees share personal stories of organ, eye and tissue donation as part of the health system’s observance of April as National Donate Life month. The stories will be featured throughout the month at blessinghealth.org/donatelife and on social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram.

In one story, nurse Laurie Jansen shares her connection with a child whose plight she discovered on Facebook.“I love sharing our journey of organ donation and am proud to bring awareness to living organ donation,” said Jansen. “Organ donation is very important to me and I know firsthand how it can truly change lives.”

Abbie Hochgraber, RN, tells the story of her how her teenaged son changing the life of a man he never met.

“‘Why take them with you if they can save someone else?’ has a whole new meaning to me,” Hochgraber said.

Health system staff also invites the public to gather with them at the flag pole in front of Blessing Hospital at Noon, Friday, April 16, as the Donate Life flag is raised in honor of the month, and of donors and recipients.

Every nine minutes someone is added to the organ and tissue transplant waiting list in the United States. The number of people in need of a lifesaving transplant continues to rise faster than the number of available organs. Each day 17 people die waiting for a transplant. However, one donor can save up to eight lives by making the decision to become a registered donor.

More facts about donation and transplantation and a link to register as a donor are available at

blessinghealth.org/donatelife.