Inova Fairfax Hospital and WRTC to Celebrate Donate Life Month

Organizations Will Honor Transplantation Community with Flag-Raising Ceremony

Falls Church, VA – (March 31, 2009) — April is National Donate Life Month, and Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) is partnering with Inova Fairfax Hospital to kick off month-long activities with a ceremony on April 3rd.  The event will be held at 10am outside the hospital’s Gray Entrance (3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA).

In conjunction with Donate Life America’s “Flags Across America” initiative, the event will include the raising of the “Donate Life” flag, which will be flown in front of the main entrance of the hospital throughout April.  The flag’s purpose is to honor the hundreds of thousands of donors and recipients whose lives have been affected by organ, eye and tissue donation.  In attendance will be donor family members, organ and tissue transplant recipients, waiting list patients, doctors and other hospital staff members.

“Inova Fairfax Hospital is a leader in Northern Virginia in organ and tissue donation and transplantation,” said Lori Brigham, President and CEO of WRTC.  “This event will bring all involved in the donation process together not only to honor the courage of those who gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation – but also to urge everyone to register to become organ and tissue donors themselves.”

People whose lives have been touched by donation or those who wish to show their support for donation are invited to attend the ceremony.

There are more than 101,000 people currently waiting desperately for an organ transplant to save their lives.  By the end of today, 18 of those patients will die waiting for an organ that will never come.  People in the Washington, DC, area can help end the wait by registering to become organ and tissue donors at www.beadonor.org.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.