Monument Health holds ceremony to kick off National Donate Life Month

RAPID CITY, S.D. — Monument Health Rapid City Hospital joining hospitals across the country in a ceremony to raise awareness of the gift of life.

The staff at Monument Health Friday raising the Donate Life flag.

In attendance were the families of those who have donated organs or received the gift of life from another.

The flag ceremony kicking off National Donate Life Month.

In 2020, more than 39,000 people in the U.S. received transplants – but more than 100,000 continue to wait – with one person added to the list every ten minutes.

The hope is that awareness events like this will encourage more people to become registered organ donors.

“This month of April while the flag is raised I hope people have a moment of reflection where they’re really thinking that wow this represents donation and what that means for those. And maybe kind of reflect to themselves ‘am I a donor? Do I want to be a donor? Have I had that conversation with my family?’,” said Stephanie Batell, Monument Health Nursing Director.

“I think there’s a lot of questions about it that maybe that slow people down and we’re certainly here to educate and to help with the understanding as far as what that means,” said Ace Berry,  Monument Health Hospital Coordinator.

Later this month, Monument Health will be holding a donate life awareness walk-run event at the Old Storybook Island picnic area on April 25.