News release from the Lutheran Health Network:
Lutheran Hospital Supports Organ and Tissue Donation with Special Guest and Donor Drive
Heart Transplant Recipient Shares Personal Experience
(April 16, 2012) – Each April, Lutheran Hospital’s donor council hosts an awareness drive to register organ and tissue donors and to answer questions about the life-changing and lifesaving decision to donate. In addition to the annual donor drive, a heart transplant recipient will be on hand to share her story Tuesday, April 17, at 1 p.m. near the Tree House Café located just south of the tree house elevator in Lutheran’s main lobby.
Despite being healthy in general, Sherrie Francey, 53, who suffered from congestive heart failure, received her heart transplant July 2, 2010. Remarkably, she received her new heart exactly one year to the day after her father’s death the previous summer. Francey says she knew that her father had a hand in saving her life.
Representatives from Indiana Organ Procurement Organization, Indiana Lion’s Eye Tissue and Transplant Bank, Lutheran’s donor council and other organ and tissue donors and recipients will have displays set up from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. General information about registering to become a tissue and organ donor will also be available. Participants will be located in high traffic areas of the hospital including the cafeteria, south lobby walkway and adjacent to the Tree House Café.