Phoenixville Hospital and Pottstown Hospital celebrated their commitment to building awareness and support for organ donation by each raising a "2025 Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) Donate Life Challenge" flag earlier this month. It was an honor for Phoenixville Hospital and Pottstown Hospital to join HAP and the Gift of Life Donor Program in encouraging everyone to register as organ, tissue and cornea donors.
A donor's family and donor recipient participated in this year's moving and inspiring ceremony before raising the HAP Donate Life flag at Pottstown Hospital. The event was attended by many Pottstown Hospital staff members and administrators who are involved in organ donation protocols.
"It's imperative to know that anyone can be a potential organ donor regardless of medical history, age or race," said Lynn Shoap, ICU Critical Care Manager, Pottstown Hospital. "This is imperative because there are more than 95,000 individuals across the country waiting for a kidney, liver, heart, or lung transplant, and every day more people are added to the list. By becoming an organ donor, you can give the most special gift, the gift of life, to those in need."
At Phoenixville Hospital, a live organ donor was the honored guest during their flag-raising ceremony. During the ceremony, the organ donor shared her story with Phoenixville Hospital staff and raised the HAP Donate Life flag, cheered on by staff members.
"Organ donation is so important because 17 people in the US die each day while waiting for a donor," said Aileen Bojko, RN, BSN, Critical Care Director, Phoenixville Hospital. "I encourage everyone to consider becoming an organ donor and talk to their loved ones about their wish to do so. Being an organ donor is a selfless act that provides those in need and their families with the priceless gift of life.”
Some key facts about organ, tissue and cornea donations: Anyone can be a potential donor regardless of age, race or medical history. More than 5,000 children and adults in the region await life-saving organ transplants. Thousands more could benefit from life-enhancing tissue transplants. With more than 90,000 people across the nation awaiting a kidney, it is the organ in greatest demand, followed by the liver, heart and lungs.
Because conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are often more prevalent in the minority community, these individuals make up more than 50 percent of those on the national organ transplant list. Individuals are encouraged to talk with family members and friends about registering as a donor. One organ donor can save up to eight lives, and a tissue donor can improve the lives of more than 100 others. For more information and to register to become an organ donor, visit www.donors1.org.
About Phoenixville Hospital
Located in Phoenixville, PA, and a member of Tower Health, Phoenixville Hospital is a 144-bed facility that provides comprehensive medical services through emergency room visits, inpatient admissions, outpatient procedures, and community outreach programs. Phoenixville Hospital’s services include an award-winning cardiovascular program, a fully accredited cancer center, an NAPBC-accredited breast health center, an acute inpatient rehabilitation center, and a large robotic surgery center. Phoenixville Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across service lines that include joint replacement surgery, advanced heart failure care, and the designation as a Primary Stroke Center. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.
About Pottstown Hospital
Located in Pottstown, Pa., and a member of Tower Health, Pottstown Hospital is a 219-bed hospital that offers a full range of health services, including inpatient and outpatient, medical and surgical, and diagnostic and emergency care. Accredited by The Joint Commission, Pottstown Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across many service lines. The hospital is Joint Commission-certified for hip and knee replacement and is also accredited for heart failure. Recently, Pottstown Hospital was recognized as a recipient of the 'Get with the Guidelines/American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Honor Roll Elite and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll'. The Cancer Center at Pottstown Hospital is also nationally recognized, bringing over a decade of award-winning care to our region. The Pottstown Hospital Emergency Department, a Primary Stroke Center, is the second busiest in Montgomery County, seeing more than 45,000 patients a year. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.