"We are so excited to participate in this ceremony, and hope that it will encourage others to consider the beautiful gift of organ donation," said Cherida Terrill. "I am so grateful for my husband – and to everyone who makes this incredible, selfless choice to donate life."
The Terrills will be joined by LifeSource and Lions Gift of Sight, as well as team members from Hennepin Healthcare's Kidney Transplant Program. The Donate Life flag has become a national symbol of unity, remembrance, and hope, while honoring those touched by donation and transplantation.
Hennepin Healthcare ranks 1st of all hospital partners for LifeSource in their Donor Service Area for number of organ donors. This past year, 112 people received the gift of life from 37 donors at Hennepin Healthcare. The 130 organs that were transplanted included 61 kidneys, 26 livers, 19 hearts, 8 sets of lungs and one separate lung, and 5 pancreases. More than 7,500 people will benefit from 50 tissue donors. In addition, 86 patients of Hennepin Healthcare selflessly helped to provide 98 sight-restoring corneas for transplant and 67 gifts of eye tissue devoted to research and education with the opportunity to impact an entire generation of science and medicine.
On average, 17 people die every day waiting for their transplant; and a new name is added to the list every 9 minutes. One donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation and improve over 75 lives through tissue and eye donation. In Minnesota, nearly 2,300 people are waiting to receive lifesaving organ transplants.
What: Hennepin Healthcare celebrates National Donate Life Month with flag-raising ceremony
When: 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Where: Hennepin Healthcare's 717 S. 6th St. entrance by the flagpole
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About Hennepin Healthcare
Hennepin Healthcare is a nationally recognized system of care that includes HCMC, a Level I Trauma Center and public teaching hospital. The centerpiece of Hennepin County's clinical health services, Hennepin Healthcare offers a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services, including its Kidney Transplant Program, celebrating 62 years of providing kidney transplant services to patients and their families.
About LifeSource
LifeSource is the non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest, serving more than seven million people in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of western Wisconsin. LifeSource manages the donation process, encourages the community to join the donor registry and supports donor families through their loved one's donation and in the months and years that follow. Learn more at http://www.life-source.org.
About Lions Gift of Sight
Lions Gift of Sight (LGS) is a community-based non-profit eye bank. Founded in 1960, it is the oldest anatomic donation organization in Minnesota. LGS serves the needs of donors in Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and North Dakota and distributes corneas and ocular tissue for transplantation, research, and medical education throughout the world.
