Highland Community Hospital will be participating in the first statewide celebration to kick off the 11^th National Donate Life Month, on April 1, at 2 p.m. with a Donate Life flag dedication ceremony.

The Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA), has organized hospitals throughout the state to recognize the importance of organ donation with celebrations honoring both donors and recipients.

MORA representative Chuck Stinson, said, “ We really just want to promote awareness of the importance of organ donations, which truly save lives.”

Stinson said that there are currently 1,300 state residents in need of lifesaving transplants. There are 121,000 people needing transplants, nationwide. Of the 121,0000, 18 of those will die daily while they are waiting their lifesaving transplants.

Stinson said a new person goes on the organ donation waiting list every 10 minutes.

Highland Community Hospital Executive Assistant Misty Toruno said that Highland Community Hospital wants to honor those that make the choice to be donors as well as those who become donor recipients.

“The decision to be a donor can be a hard decision to make, but it is an important one,” Toruno said.

Statistics show that one organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 50 people.

For more information on organ donation, visit http://www.msora.org