Erlanger Health System and Tennessee Donor Services raised the “Donate Life” flag at Erlanger Western Carolina, Bledsoe, East, North and Baroness hospitals to recognize and honor 51 Erlanger patients who gave the ultimate gift of life as organ donors in 2020. Thanks to the organ donations of these individuals, 137 lives were saved last year, officials said.
Each April, Erlanger joins thousands of hospitals and organizations across the nation, flying the flag in recognition of Donor Awareness Month and in honor of the uncountable lives touched by organ, eye and tissue donation.
In 2020, Erlanger patient donors gave 152 transplant organs and 151 tissue donations. These donations saved the lives of 137 individuals.
"Currently, Erlanger is the second leading donor hospital system in Tennessee," officials said. "More than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for life-saving organ transplants, and more than 3,000 of those on the transplant list live in Tennessee. Every day, 20 people die waiting for a transplant, and every 10 minutes a new name will be added to the list."
For more information on organ and tissue donation and how to become a donor, visit donatelife.net.