Celebrating donors: Hospital, CORE celebrate Donate Life Month
Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Rodney Larson, of Russell, speaks about his journey as the recipient of a kidney and pancreas transplant during a Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony Tuesday morning at Warren General Hospital.
Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The CORE — Center for Organ Recovery and Education — flag is raised at Warren General Hospital Tuesday morning during a Donate Life ceremony.
Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Rodney Larson, of Russell, speaks about his journey as the recipient of a kidney and pancreas transplant during a Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony Tuesday morning at Warren General Hospital.
Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The CORE — Center for Organ Recovery and Education — flag is raised at Warren General Hospital Tuesday morning during a Donate Life ceremony.
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CORE - Center for Organ Recovery and Education - and Warren General Hospital are celebrating National Donate Life Month.
An inaugural Donate Life Flag-Raising Ceremony was held Tuesday and the CORE flag will fly at the hospital throughout April.
"Warren General Hospital is proud to partner with CORE," CEO Rick Allen, whose brother, Chuck, was an organ donor when he passed, said. "Every single day, we are enriching life through organ, tissue, and cornea donation."
CORE's Leslie Lash said four patients at Warren General "were given the gift of sight" through cornea donations in 2022 and another "150 have been or will be healed because of a tissue transplant."
"There are over 100,000 people waiting for a life-saving donation," WGH Compliance Officer Nickie Genis said.
Rodney Larson of Russell was 14 years old when he first learned he would have kidney problems.
"I was diagnosed with Type I juvenile diabetes and told my kidneys would fail," he said.
"Trying to control my blood sugar level was always an uphill battle," Larson said.
It took years, but eventually, his kidneys did fail.
"My kidney function was deteriorating rapidly," he said.
He underwent peritoneal dialysis. "At first, I felt a lot better," he said.
That didn't last. When the pain returned, "I was ready to stop living."
In end stage renal failure, it was suggested that he be put on a transplant registry.
He didn't think the odds were good - he needed a kidney and a pancreas to resolve the diabetes. But, he gave it a try.
He got a call.
The surgery was a success.
"They gave me life… and a good life," Larson said. "I was one of eight people whose life was saved because someone made the most selfless decision to become an organ donor."
The recipient is only one side of the equation. "My family and I were elated that I had another chance at living," Larson said.
At the same time, they realized that another family had to suffer tragedy for him to be receiving that chance.
Lash said donors live on and are not forgotten due to their selfless acts. "Donation gives your family a legacy they can find strength and comfort in, should the unthinkable happen," according to CORE.
"They will never realize how much their loved one's donation means to me," Larson said. "My transplant has given me my life back. A good quality of life at that."
"Become an organ donor," he urged.
Those interested may register at the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles or through registerme.org/core.