For the fourth year in a row, Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center (OHMC) was awarded a silver Organ Donation Medal of Honor from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for its success in raising organ donation rates.
Oakwood received the medal during the Sixth Annual National Learning Congress on Organ Donation and Transplantation in Grapevine, Texas. The hospital earned the recognition by working with its Gift of Life Michigan partners to achieve the national goal of converting at least 75% of eligible deaths into actual organ donors and by meeting one of two other national standards. Each organ and tissue donor can save the lives of up to nine people and improve the lives of 50 more.
Additionally, Don Johnson, clinical ethics center nurse at OHMC, received recognition from the Gift of Life Michigan for his life-saving work.
The Gift of Life, Michigan’s only full-service organ recovery organization, is an intermediary between donors and hospitals when a donation occurs. It also works with the Secretary of State to manage the state’s Organ Donor Registry. Gift of Life presented Don Johnson with its prestigious Professional Service award, at the 39th annual Gift of Life Foundation meeting in Novi.
Don was recognized for being a compassionate advocate for families, providing clear information to help them understand the gravity of their loved one’s medical situation and their options. Johnson is available to both the hospital and Gift of Life to answer questions and offer clarity about policies and procedures.
A year ago, the parents of a newborn with a severe neurological injury looked beyond their own pain and requested organ donation for their baby. Don helped both the family and the staff work through the process and thanks in part to his efforts, the lives of a 2-month and a 5-month old were saved.
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