ChristianaCare Clinches Top National Honor for Organ Donation Advocacy: A Lifeline for Patients in Need

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NEWARK, DE — ChristianaCare has achieved the highest national recognition from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for its exceptional support of organ and tissue donation. The Platinum Award, HRSA’s top honor, is granted to health systems that actively promote organ donation within their community as part of the national DoNation campaign.

The significance of this award cannot be overstated. The DoNation campaign is centered on raising awareness about the critical need for organ and tissue donors – a cause ChristianaCare has championed with dedication and compassion. “This recognition belongs to all the ChristianaCare caregivers, especially the critical care nurses and physicians who help with compassion and generosity in supporting the gift of life,” said Jason Rolls, M.D., FACS, chief and surgical director of the Kidney Transplant Program at ChristianaCare.

ChristianaCare operates Delaware’s only adult kidney transplant center, filling a crucial gap between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Since its inception in 2006, the program has performed over 400 transplants and provides services to more than 1,000 patients annually, offering kidney transplant, living donation evaluation, waitlist management, and post-donation and post-transplant care.

The significance of the program’s work is immense, especially considering the life-altering impact of kidney transplants. “The sooner we can provide kidney transplants to patients on dialysis, the better the chances to improve both the extent and the quality of their lives,” Rolls noted.

The program’s success is buoyed by partnerships with organizations like the Gift of Life Donor Program in Philadelphia, with which ChristianaCare collaborates closely. Through monthly council meetings, educational sessions, and an annual flag-raising ceremony for National Donate Life Month, ChristianaCare continually underscores its commitment to organ donation.

Rick Hasz, president and CEO of the Gift of Life Donor Program, lauded ChristianaCare’s efforts, saying, “ChristianaCare is one of the leading hospitals for donation in our region; its Newark and Wilmington campuses have combined to provide compassionate care and support for 50 donor heroes and their families, resulting in 120 life-saving organs for transplant for waiting patients during the first eleven months of 2023.”

While over 90% of U.S. adults support organ donation, only 60% are registered donors. With a new person added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, the need for more organ and tissue donors is critical. ChristianaCare’s award-winning advocacy work plays a crucial role in addressing this need, ultimately helping to save lives and improve the health of the community.

Visit www.organdonor.gov to learn more about organ and tissue donation, and sign up as a donor at www.donors1.org/register.

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