HCA Florida Memorial Hospital recently held a special ceremony in Jacksonville, Florida, to honor two families of organ donors and a liver recipient. The event took place to mark National Donate Life Month and aimed to increase awareness about the importance of organ donation. Reed Hammond, CEO of HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, emphasized the significance of organ donation, describing it as a way to save someone else’s life and provide hope for patients in need.
According to HCA Memorial, the hospital had 24 organ donors in 2023, resulting in 93 organs being transplanted. Over the past decade, the hospital has contributed to 314 locally transplanted organs. One liver recipient, Gerry Polcari, shared his gratitude, stating that he has been able to resume his life and work again since receiving a transplant in February 2022. Suzanne and Bill Funke, the parents of organ donor Creighton Funke, attended the ceremony to honor their son’s decision to save four lives through organ donation. The Funkes hope that sharing their experience will inspire more people to become organ donors and ultimately save more lives.
To learn more about organ and tissue donation or to register as a lifesaving donor, individuals can visit DonateLifeFlorida.org.
