A Single Gift Can Change Many Lives

In April, We Celebrate Donate Life Month

You may have noticed the flag flying this month outside the Central entrance to the Kirkland campus. It serves as a reminder to us all of the value of organ and tissue donation.

LifeCenter Northwest, which collaborates with more than 200 hospitals in Alaska, Montana, North Idaho and Washington to save lives through organ and tissue donation, shares these numbers with us:

• Up to eight lives can be saved through the gift of a heart, liver, pancreas, lungs, kidneys and intestines.
• Over 150 people can be healed through tissue donation for procedures like nerve restoration, heart valve replacement, burn treatment and more.
• 107 years is the age of the oldest known donor. Any person can make a difference.

EvergreenHealth is an active supporter of organ and tissue donation. While providing skilled, respectful and compassionate care for our patients, we work closely with LifeCenter Northwest to educate others and support our commitment to helping individuals and families save lives together.

A Single Person Can Change Many Lives

I have great news to share! This afternoon, April 8, representatives of LifeCenter Northwest visited the Kirkland campus to present Sandy Kreider, MSN, RN, Executive Director Acute Care Nursing Kirkland, with LifeCenter Northwest's 2023 LifeSaver of the Year Award. This honor is presented to just one person each year across LifeCenter's four-state, 230-plus hospital region to recognize an individual who best exemplifies the spirit of going above and beyond to save lives, honoring LifeCenter's values to improve donation culture and outcomes.

Honoring patient wishes is a core value of all health care professionals, and Sandy is a strong advocate of honoring our patients' wishes for organ and tissue donation. Her longevity as a nurse has included practicing in the ICU and as an educator. These roles have allowed her to see first-hand how the gift of donation can ease the pain of a patient's death when the family knows that the gift will help so many more people. Sandy has worked with Life Center Northwest for many years to ensure that our policies allow the gift of organs and tissue to happen seamlessly for caregivers, patients and families.

When you see Sandy, please take a moment to recognize her award, but more importantly her advocacy for honoring patients' wishes. You may read Sandy's story in LifeCenter Northwest's annual report, linked here (p. 9).

More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ transplant, including 2,000 of our Pacific Northwest neighbors. EvergreenHealth's organizational purpose – working together to enrich the health and well-being of every life we touch – supports the commitment to organ and tissue donation. Providing care and saving lives.

Would you like to register as a donor? Registration is completed with your state of residence. You may click here and select Washington.