Local hospital hosts organ donor ceremony, honors those who give
JACKSON, Tenn. — A local hospital took time to honor those who have made selfless donations to help others continue to live.
The Jackson Madison County General Hospital had a record breaking year of donors that helped save lives.
This afternoon, April 18, Tennessee Donor Services hosted a ceremony at the hospital.
A recipient shared that he was in the hospital for over 8 months.
“The doctors came in the room one day and said I was on the point of death and they had to do something. The next morning they called they had a heart and a kidney for me,” Bill Forsythe, Donor Recipient.
He says that he is blessed to have received the good news, and that five years later he received an unexpected call.
“On the five year anniversary of my receiving my heart. I received a phone call out of the clear blue from Selmer, Tennessee. And a lady on the other end said ‘is this Mr. Bill Forsythe’ and I said ‘Yes it is,’ I thought it was a sales call, and she said ‘I think you have my daughters heart’,” said Forsythe.
External Affairs Coordinator with Tennessee Donor Services, Byron Elam, says that April is a special month to give and shares tips on how to help.
“Well, April is Donate Life Month, so this is the time where we really have a special emphasis on the process of organ transplants and its importance. So we have ceremonies like this, we’ve had ceremonies like this, and we’ve had ceremonies all throughout the state and hospitals throughout the state remembering our donors and also honoring those recipients,” said Elam.
Without those that sign up to donate, lives wouldn’t be saved.
“It’s so important to sign their license to be a donor. I signed mine over 50 years ago while I was in the military I never really thought I would receive a organ. I thought some day I might donate one or two I never thought I would receive one much less two,” said Forsythe.
Stars and flags were placed out in the lobby for those who have donated organs saving another person’s life.
