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Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – April is National Donate Life Month, a time to raise awareness of the importance of organ and tissue donation. Memorial Health hospitals hold flag-raising ceremonies each year to honor donors and their families.
This year’s Springfield ceremony was held at Memorial Hospital on N. 1st St., Wednesday afternoon. Hospital officials and representatives from Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, Saving Sight, or Eversight, and the father of an organ donor, Brian Wilham, spoke.
Jennifer Bond, Chief Nursing Officer for Memorial, was the first to speak and explained this year’s theme: let life sing. Bond shared that birds are known across many cultures as one of the most welcomed signs of spring because they represent new beginnings, visits from loved ones who have passed away, and their yearly return, along with their songs, offer a sense of peace and hope.
Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network President and CEO Harry Wilkins also spoke and shared that the reason April was chosen as National Donate Life Month is because in April, the sun finally comes out, the buds bloom, and hope is renewed.
Brian Wilham shared his family’s story. His son Zach Wilham passed away at the age of 27 after being involved in a car crash. He had expressed to his family that he wished to be an organ donor. Zach Wilham’s decision saved 5 lives. His wife, Karla, is also a tissue donor recipient.
There are over 100,000 people on the national organ transplant waiting list, waiting for a second chance at life. 4,000 of those are in Illinois. Every 10 minutes, a new person is added to the waiting list.
If you or someone you know would like to register as an organ donor, click here.