Tift Regional receives award for organ, tissue donation efforts

The Albany Herald, Ga.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—TIFTON — Southwell has joined other area hospitals, health care organizations, and the LifeLink Foundation to create a donation-friendly community through the Hospital Organ Donation Campaign.

This national initiative sponsored by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services challenges health care organizations to educate employees, patients, visitors, and the community about the crucial need for organ, eye, and tissue donation and give them opportunities to sign up as donors. More than 443,000 people have added their names to state registries through this campaign.

"Organ, eye, and tissue donation is a very important to us at Southwell," Tonia Garrett, the chief nursing officer for Tift Regional Medical Center, said. "We work very hard to educate our staff, our patients and visitors, and our overall community on organ donation. There are a lot of myths out there about it, so we try to dispel those with various education programs. There is a large need for the gift of life, as each tissue donor can save or improve up to 75 lives. We challenge our staff and those in the community to register as an organ donor with Donate Life during National Donate Life Month in April."

Every 11 minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list, which currently includes more than 113,000 people. Approximately 22 people die every day because of organ shortage.

Southwell is working with community and staff to educate employees, patients, other hospital guests and the extended community on the critical need for organ, eye and tissue donation. Individuals interested in becoming actively involved with this effort can visit www.LifeLinkFoundation.org/HRSAWPFL for more information.

"We encourage anyone reading this to please take a few minutes to add your name to the Donate Life Georgia state donor registry today," Garrett said. "Someday you may save a life. Visit www.DonateLifeGeorgia.org to find out how."