Griffin Hospital Recognized by New England Donor Services

DERBY - Griffin Hospital, in Derby, recently received the Health and Human Services Work Place for Life (WPFL) Gold Recognition Award from New England Donor Services for raising awareness about organ donation.

The WPFL Hospital Campaign encourages hospitals to coordinate donor awareness and registry enrollment activities with their staff, patients and community members. The goals of the campaign are to increase organ and tissue donation awareness in the surrounding community, cultivate a hospital culture that incorporates educating and registering potential donors as part of their standard mission, and provide online organ and tissue donor registration opportunities.

Griffin was a valued partner of New England Donor Services for the 2018 campaign, assisting in 11 tissue donations.

Partners in the WPFL campaign are committed to building awareness of the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation registration. According to New England Donor Services, there are more than 110,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplants. One donor has the potential of saving up to nine lives through organ donation and can enhance the lives of 50 people through tissue donation.

For more information about organ donation, visit donatelife.net.

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Griffin Hospital Recognized by New England Donor Services

From left: Sharon Bartley and Angelo Bernardo, of New England Donor Services, present Griffin Hospital VP Patient Care Services Barbara Stumpo and Inpatient Services Administrator Kelly Egan with the WPFL Silver Award.

 

DERBY - Griffin Hospital, 130 Division St., Derby, recently received the Health and Human Services Work Place for Life (WPFL) Silver Recognition Award from New England Donor Services for raising awareness about organ donation.

 

The WPFL Hospital Campaign encourages hospitals to coordinate donor awareness and registry enrollment activities with their staff, patients and community members. The goals of the campaign are to increase organ and tissue donation awareness in the surrounding community, cultivate a hospital culture that incorporates educating and registering potential donors as part of their standard mission, and provide online organ and tissue donor registration opportunities.

 

Last year, Griffin Hospital assisted with four organ donations that resulted in life-saving organ transplants for 12 people.

 

Partners in the WPFL campaign are committed to building awareness of the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation registration. According to New England Donor Services, there are more than 117,090 people in the U.S. and 1,343 in the state on the waiting list for a life-saving organ transplants. One donor has the potential of saving up to nine lives through organ donation and can enhance the lives of 50 people through tissue donation.

 

For more information about organ donation, visit donatelife.net.

 

(This is a press release from Griffin Hospital)

Fundraising slated for Oxford girl in need of transplant

OXFORD - With the cost of a transplant often exceeding $500,000, many families are unable to shoulder the financial burden of such a procedure.  
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association in Bloomington, Ind. is a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses.
In Oxford, volunteers are raising funds for COTA in honor of transplant patients like Chelsea Wheeler, daughter of Christopher and Linda Wheeler of Oxford. 
Born on Feb. 4, 2003, Chelsea was diagnosed with Intestinal Dysmotility.  Doctors at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania have recommended a life-saving small bowel transplant. 
 Chelsea’s family has asked for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association. 

The organization’s priority is to assure that no child or young adult is denied a transplant or excluded from a transplant waiting list due to lack of funds.  
One hundred percent of all funds raised are used for patients’ transplant-related expenses.
An estimated $65,000 is being raised by Oxford volunteers. Volunteers are needed to assist with fundraising activities that will help with transplant-related expenses. Individuals and groups interested in more information may contact Community Coordinator Ray Nappi, 203-305-8719 or ray.nappi@gmail.com.   

Donations may be mailed to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN., 47403.  Checks or money orders should be made payable to COTA, with “In Honor of Chelsea W” written on the memo line of the check.  Secure credit card donations are also accepted online at www.COTAforChelseaW.com.  

This post is taken from a press release from the Children's Organ Transplant Association. 

On friendship and giving the gift of life

Community invited to support organ donor, recipient Friday

Kristie Kennedy will give Paul Lucuk one of her kidneys May 17. Patricia Villers / Register

 
Everyone can relate to having neighbors, friends, and family.

But how many of us can relate to having a friend willing to give us the gift of life?

I met two lifelong Valley residents Tuesday who clearly have experienced true friendship.
Paul Lucuk, 51, of Ansonia needs a kidney. Derby resident Kristie Kennedy, 40, who until recently lived across the street from Lucuk, is going to give him one of hers.


Lucuk and Kennedy will have their surgeries May 17 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Neither of them has siblings, but Lucuk says he now has a "little sister."

Kennedy said she believes God has brought them together. I was inspired by her generosity of spirit, and willingness to go through so much to help her friend.

A ziti dinner will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday at St. Sebastian Hall, 86 Father Salemi Drive, Ansonia "to honor Kristie," Lucuk's wife, Denise Lucuk, said, and to offer both of them support. Tickets are $20.

I wish all the best to these two wonderful people as they recuperate from their life-changing surgeries.