On Monday, April 10, at 9 a.m., Trinity Health System will raise the Donate Life Flag in honor of National Donate Life Month at Trinity Medical Center West, located at 4000 Johnson Road in Steubenville.

Per the official website, “National Donate Life Month (NDLM) was established by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations in 2003. Observed in April each year, National Donate Life Month helps raise awareness about donation, encourage Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to honor those that have saved lives through the gift of donation.”

In addition to raising the Donate Life Flag on Monday, Trinity Health System is honored to have Sierra Johnson, the daughter of organ donor Stephen Michael Stock, at the flag-raising to speak on behalf of the family.

“Three lives were saved as the result of Michael’s donation of life,” said Jessica Porter, Clinical Nurse Manager, Critical Care, one of the nurses who treated Michael last year and worked with his family on the donation process.

Throughout next week, Trinity Health System also has events planned to celebrate organ donation:

• An informational table will be stationed outside our cafeteria where folks can sign up to be an organ donor or learn more about being an organ donor.
• A donor quilt will be on display.
• On Thursday, April 13, at 7 p.m., Trinity Health System will host a live Q&A on Facebook with Lifeline of Ohio COO Jennifer Smith and Trinity Health System’s Jessica Porter, Clinical Nurse Manager, Critical Care.

• On Friday, April 14, the staff is encouraged to wear blue and green, the official colors of Donate Life, and throughout the month, they’ll be donning Donate Life gear.
• Local elementary schools will be contributing an artistic flare to our celebration by coloring Donate Life pages to help decorate our hospital floors.

“Being a part of Lifeline of Ohio and encouraging organ donation is an extension of our ministry,” Laurie Labishak, Market Director, Marketing and Communications, said. “If one life can be saved or sight restored as a result of organ and tissue donation, this exemplifies our mission to make the healing power of God known.”

We would like to invite your news organization to cover the flag-raising on Monday and to draw attention to our various planned events. Jessica Porter and Laurie Labishak will be available for interviews, along with Stephen Michael Stock’s daughter Sierra Johnson.

If you’re able to cover the flag-raising, please let Laurie Labishak, Market Director, know that you’ll be in attendance by emailing her here.