Sign up to become an organ donor during Donate Life Month
LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - A special flag has been raised at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital to honor National Donate Life Month.
The Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA), Southern Eye Bank (SEB), and Lake Charles Memorial are raising awareness and encouraging people to become organ donors.
SEB named Lake Charles Memorial "Hospital of the Year." In 2015, Memorial had 35 cornea donors give 33 people the gift of sight. Another 23 donations were made for research.
The Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office and the people of the parish received the Vision Champion Award. The coroner's office facilitated 107 individuals' cornea donations, which allowed 134 people to see.
LOPA and SEB took the opportunity to honor the families of organ donors. The family of Louisiana State Trooper Steven Vincent was recognized for their strength and they were thanked for the generosity.
More than 120,000 people are currently on the transplant waiting list. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, another patient is added to the list every ten minutes.
Becoming an organ donor is easy. You can sign up online or ask to become a donor the next time you go to the OMV.
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