PMH Flag Raising in Honor of ‘Donate Life’ Month Twenty-two people die each day for lack of an available organ. This year, Pocahontas Memorial Hospital has partnered with Donate Life West Virginia to help save lives by educating our community about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation and increasing the number of registered donors. PMH hosted a very special flag raising ceremony April 12 in front of the hospital. CORE (The Center for Organ Recovery and Organization) representatives Christy Conley and Sarah Clemente were on hand to answer questions and to talk with people interested in the possibility of being an organ donor. At 11 o’clock, a special flag was raised following a presentation by Clemente and a proclamation declaring April “Donate Life Month” by PMH CEO Barbara Lay. After the ceremony, staff and guests enjoyed refreshments in the front lobby of the hospital. Conley explained that PMH is participating in the Donate Life West Virginia Hospital Challenge, which is an opportunity for hospitals to bring awareness and to help facilitate the culture of donation within the facility. Conley and Clemente cover 55 hospitals in the state. Two years ago, eight hospitals throughout West Virginia participated in the challenge and had flag raisings. In 2016, 24 hospitals participated. And this year, more than 30 hospitals have participated. There are nearly 120,000 people in the US who are on waiting lists for organs. One person has the potential to save eight lives through organ donation and enhance 50 more through cornea and tissue donation. Visit www.donatelifewv.org to learn more about donation and to register online.
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