Ministry Saint Clare’s Support of Organ and Tissue Donation Part of 2015 Rose Parade
Across the county, nearly 124,000 people wait each day for word if a life-saving organ or tissue donation is a possibility.
At the same time, during unexpected tragedies, health care workers often support families who make the lifesaving decision that organ and tissue donation is right for their loved one and can help those in need.
Every donation of organs, eyes and tissue begins an inspiring story that lives on forever. In their passing, deceased donors open up a world of health, sight and mobility to people in need, while the gifts from living donors release family members, friends and even strangers to live more fully. Grateful transplant recipients are freed to contribute to their families, communities and future generations. Through its endless power to save, heal and transform lives, organ, eye and tissue donation is truly The Never-Ending Story.
The Never Ending Story is the theme of the 2015 Donate Life Rose Parade Float entry and Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital in Weston has been selected to submit a vial carrying a unique personal message that will be part of a Dedication Garden for the world to see.
Since its debut on New Year’s Day 2004, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float has become the world’s most visible campaign to inspire people to become organ, eye, and tissue donors.
Ministry Saint Clare’s Registered Nurse Danielle Polega was selected to sign the vial in recognition for her efforts in a recent organ donation case where an irreversible lung disease took the life of a 30-year old man this past fall. She signed the vial recently in recognition of her fellow associates in Weston.
“I knew that the family wanted to be able to do this one last thing for him before they said goodbye,” said Polega.
Polega is part of a dedicated donation team at Ministry Saint Clare’s who are trained to provide caring and guidance during the donation process. They are committed to organ and tissue donation for the donor patients and families they serve by providing the best end-of-life experience possible.
“Support of organ and tissue donation is a very important part of our patient centered system of care, “said Kris McGarigle, vice president of patient care services at Ministry Saint Clare’s. “One person can save up to eight lives through the donation of live saving organs and help up to 50 more through tissue/cornea gifts so that is something our associates take great pride in.”
In Wisconsin, 2,400 people are currently on the Organ and Tissue Donation wait list. Anyone interested in becoming and organ and tissue donor can do so at any Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles office or by visiting yesiwillwisconsin.com.
About Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital:
Ministry Saint Clare’s Hospital is an all-digital provider of quality, compassionate care offering a wide range of primary and specialty services as an anchor of the Weston Regional Medical Center.
In addition to 24-hour emergency-level III trauma and surgical services, Ministry Saint Clare’s was the first hospital in central Wisconsin to become an Accredited Chest Pain Center and features major medical and surgical specialties to meet the needs of central Wisconsin and beyond.
A leader in quality outcomes and patient safety nationally, Ministry Saint Clare’s has been recognized as a Top-100 Hospital by Truven Health Analytics. It is one of the nation’s first all-digital hospitals and has been annually named one of America’s Most Wired Hospitals by Hospitals and Health Network Magazine since opening in 2006.
About Ministry Health Care
Ministry Health Care is an integrated healthcare delivery network serving more than 1.1 million people across Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. Ministry generates nearly $2.2 billion in annual operating revenue with 15 hospitals, 45 clinics, and more than 12,000 associates including 650 physicians and advanced practice clinicians. In 2013 Ministry Health Care joined Ascension Health as the second healthcare ministry in Wisconsin. Ascension is the largest Catholic and not-for-profit healthcare system in the nation. Ministry is ranked among the top 20 percent of healthcare systems in the country according to Truven Health Analytics and five Ministry hospitals are ranked in the top 10 in Medicare’s Hospital Value Based Purchasing (VBP) program in the state. Ministry’s Network Health has again received 4 ½ star recognition by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for its Medicare Advantage plans.
About Ascension Health
Ascension (www.ascension.org) is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, Ascension is committed to delivering person-centered care to all with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. In FY2014, Ascension provided $1.8 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. More than 150,000 associates and 35,000 affiliated providers serve in 1,900 sites of care – including 131 hospitals and more than 30 senior care facilities – in 23 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to healthcare delivery, Ascension subsidiaries provide a variety of services and solutions including physician practice management, venture capital investing, treasury management, biomedical engineering, clinical care management, information services, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.
