HMC Earns National Recognition for Promoting Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) has earned national recognition as a Let Life Bloom Platinum Award recipient for its efforts to increase organ, eye, and tissue donor registrations through the Workplace Partnership for Life (WPFL) Hospital Organ Donation Campaign.

The WPFL is a national initiative that unites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the organ-donation community with workplaces across the nation in spreading the word about the importance of donation.

The WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign challenges hospitals and healthcare organizations to “let life bloom” by educating staff, patients, visitors, and communities about the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donation, including offering opportunities to register as organ donors. HMC earned points for conducting awareness and registry activities between October 2019 and April 2020 and prompting new donor registrations during that time period.

“Three years ago, we had an opportunity for improvement related to raising awareness about the benefits and importance of donation among our staff and within our community,” said Colleen Desai, HMC’s chief Nursing officer. “Together, we worked to challenge the status quo, and with the amazing partnership and support from New England Donor Services, we have successfully changed culture and have risen to the level of receiving the Let Life Bloom Platinum Recognition Award for two consecutive years.

“We could not have achieved this level of recognition had it not been for a team of dedicated staff professionals who share in the passion of donation and were open to change,” she added. “They accepted the challenge to meet and exceed quality-improvement benchmarks, and were willing and able to continue the conversation about donation with their peers, patients, friends, families, and community members. This award belongs to our awesome staff for championing to improve the lives of others through the advocacy of donation.”

Visit registerme.org to sign up as an organ donor. For more information about the WPFL Hospital Organ Donation Campaign, visit www.organdonor.gov/hospitals.