It's a grand, ol' -- organ donors flag

St. Francis observes National Donate Life Month

INDIANAPOLIS -- All three St. Francis hospitals are now flying the Donate Life Flag at each location in support of National Donate Life Month, as proclaimed by President GeorgeBush.

April is set aside to increase awareness about organ donation and to honor organ, tissue, and eye donors. The donors' flag will be flown for two days every time the hospital has an organ, tissue, or eye donor.

A donor designation day has been set aside for each campus with the goal of signing up individuals to become organ, tissue and eye donors.

Thursday, April 17th: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM - Beech Grove: 1600 Albany St.

Saturday, April 19th: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM - Mooresville: 1201 Hadley Rd.

Thursday, April 24th: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM - Indianapolis: 8111 S. Emerson Ave.

The Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO) will be involved in these special days by providing volunteers to assist the St. Francis Donor Council members in this project. Donor family members and organs recipients will be on hand at each location to help sign-up new donors and answer any questions.

The waiting list continues to grow. Currently there are 98,177 individuals nationally and 921 in Indiana alone who are waiting for a life-saving transplant.

To learn more about donation or to register to become a donor, people are encouraged to go to www.donatelifeindiana.org

IOPO was founded in 1987 and is currently celebrating 20 years as a nonprofit health service dedicated to serving the citizens of Indiana by providing a link between people awaiting a transplant and potential donors. IOPO is based in Indianapolis and has regional offices in Ft. Wayne and Evansville.