Giving So Others May Keep Living

Franciscan-Donate-Life-1Heartfelt and heartwarming stories of organ donors and recipients were told during the fourth annual National Donate Life Month observance at Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Crown Point, April 27, 2012. Linda Ramos, of the New Beginnings Organ Transplant Support Group, who also is an organ recipient, tells her experiences to attendees at the hospital’s Corpus Christi Chapel.

Other participants included, from left, Paula Koldus, a Franciscan St. Anthony Health employee, whose late husband was a cornea donor; Linda Belcher, a nurse whose late son was a heart recipient; Heather Hofstra, a nurse whose niece was a heart vessel recipient; Carol Schuster, regional chief nursing officer and Franciscan St. Anthony Health-Crown Point vice president of patient care services; Linda Kraiko, senior director of patient services at Franciscan St. Margaret Health-Dyer and Hammond; Michael Henderson, Lake County hospital development coordinator for the Indiana Lions Eye and Tissue Transplant Bank; Jerry Anderson, president and CEO of Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network; and Patti Olson, Crown Point clerk-treasurer.

Not shown are Terri Tibbot, president and CEO of Donor Services of Indiana; and Alice Jenkins, hospital development coordinator for Gift of Hope.

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A donor registration drive also took place in the hospital lobby.