St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital Recognized for Life-Changing Tissue Donations
Tissue Donor Family to Share Story with Community
|
|
SAN ANTONIO – In the United States, only 30 percent of the population know the proper steps to become a tissue donor. St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital has been instrumental in helping the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) educate families about the gift of tissue donation, changing the lives of people waiting for these precious gifts. STBTC will be honoring the hospital for its efforts in enhancing life through tissue donation.
St. Luke’s Recognition Ceremony
Monday, April 30, 2012
11am – Noon
At St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital – in the Atrium (1st Floor)
7930 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229
“We are so honored to be recognized by STBTC,” said Dan Brown, President of St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital. “Our medical staff has worked diligently for more than a decade to help close the gap between donors and patients in need of these gifts.”
Jeffery Roberts was one of many donors from St. Luke’s in 2011. At the young age of 29, Roberts suffered a stroke and died unexpectedly. His family chose to donate his tissues.
“Jeffery was always putting others first,” said Monica Shannon, Roberts’ fiancé. “When he passed away, we decided as a family that donating was something he would have wanted us to do because so many others could benefit from his gifts.”
Like many others, Roberts was not on the national organ and tissue donor registry. With help from St. Luke’s, his family was educated about the gifts Roberts could pass on to others and they made the selfless decision to donate. He was able to donate more than 45 tissue grafts to patients in need.
Fewer than 3 million Texans are registered to be organ and tissue donors. “It is our mission to help educate the community about tissue donation. Part of that education is teaching families about the gifts their loved one can pass on after death, as well as encouraging other community members to register and talk to their family about their wish to donate,” said James Glick, Tissue Services Manager at STBTC. “St. Luke’s has helped us in this mission by allowing us to come in and educate families about donating these precious gifts.”
In memory of all the gracious donors and their families from St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, STBTC will be donating a bird bath and plaque to place in the common area of the hospital. STBTC will present these gifts to hospital staff, including President Dan Brown and CNO Beth Cline. Shannon will also share her story about her decision to donate her fiancé’s tissues.