ANN ARBOR, MI— A lot has happened to save lives at Michigan’s transplant centers over the past year, and not all of it took place inside their operating rooms.
Seven healthcare systems representing the state’s nine centers competed in the Gift of Life Transplant Center Challenge since April 2016 to see who could inspire the most people to join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry.
The winner was St. John Transplant Specialty Center in Detroit, which signed up 840 new donors. Detroit Medical Center – which represents Harper Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Michigan (both transplant centers) – came in second with 826. Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan Transplant Center) placed third with 399.
The combined statewide total was 2,732 new donor registrations.
“We never imagined that this friendly competition would have such overwhelming results,” said Dorrie Dils, CEO of Gift of Life Michigan, the state’s federally designated organ recovery program. “The transplant centers have given new hope for a second chance at life to the 3,501 patients on their waiting lists. They also forged new relationships and reinforced a sense of purpose in Michigan’s donation and transplant community.”
“We are partners in all we do every single day to save and improve lives, and we can’t thank them enough for making donation a priority.”
Here are the complete results:
- St. John Transplant Specialty Center, Detroit 840
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit 826
- Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor 399
- Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids 238
- Henry Ford Transplant, Detroit 221
- Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak 165
- Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, Grand Rapids 43
Total: 2,732
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EDITOR’S NOTES:
Anyone can join the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, regardless of age or health history. To join or to learn more, go to GiftOfLifeMichigan.org or call 866.500.5801.
As the state’s federally designated organ and tissue recovery organization, Gift of Life acts as intermediary between donors, their families and hospital staff. Gift of Life, in collaboration with Eversight Michigan, provides all services necessary for organ, tissue and eye donation.
