2012 Ending The Wait Awards Honor Swedish Medical Center, Memorial Health System, Littleton Adventist Hospital And Mike McBride For Organ And Tissue Donation Achievements

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Swedish Medical Center, Memorial Health System, Littleton Adventist Hospital and Mike McBride, CEO of St. Mary's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, were recognized with Ending the Wait awards for their outstanding efforts in promoting organ and tissue donation in Colorado. The awards, now in their fourth year, are presented annually by Donor Alliance, the organ procurement organization serving Colorado and most of Wyoming, and the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA).

Donor Alliance's COO Jennifer Prinz and CHA President and CEO Steven Summer presented the awards today during the CHA 87^th Annual Meeting in Vail, Colorado. The organizations created the awards in recognition of the commitment of Colorado hospitals, medical centers and healthcare professionals to saving lives through organ and tissue donation.

In 2011, Swedish Medical Center facilitated donations from 14 organ donors, resulting in 43 organs transplanted and 55 tissue donors that helped innumerable others. Colorado Springs' Memorial Health System facilitated the most tissue donations in 2011 with 58 donors, as well as 11 organ donors resulting in 36 organs transplanted. During 2011, Littleton Adventist Hospital showcased its extraordinary commitment to supporting organ and tissue donation by transferring the first organ donor to the new Donor Alliance Recovery Center in Denver. Mike McBride, CEO of St. Mary's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Grand Junction, was recognized with the Senior Leader Award for his active participation and thought leadership on key donation issues.

"We are thrilled to once again publically recognize the Colorado hospitals and individuals who lead the way in helping to advance our mission of saving lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation," said Sue Dunn, president and CEO of Donor Alliance. "These healthcare organizations and professionals provide much of the crucial front-line education to patients and donor families, illuminating the amazing possibilities of donation and transplantation. As a result of their work, more patients in need are saved and healed through the gift of life."

Each donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation and save and heal more than 100 through the gift of tissue donation. Last year in Colorado 134 organ donors and 966 tissue donors provided vital organs and healing tissue to thousands in need. Also, at the close of 2011, 67 percent of Colorado's licensed drivers and ID card holders had joined the Donate Life Colorado Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. However, there are still currently more than 2,300 people in Colorado waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, so Donor Alliance and CHA know their efforts are not complete.

"Donor Alliance does outstanding work on a truly life-saving cause for many Coloradans," said Steven Summer, president and CEO of the Colorado Hospital Association. "CHA is proud to again partner with Donor Alliance to recognize outstanding healthcare facilities and leaders for their important efforts and contributions to our citizens' well-being."

For more information about organ and tissue donation, please visit DonorAlliance.org. To register to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit DonateLifeColorado.org or call 303-329-4747 for more information.

About Donor Alliance
Donor Alliance is the federally-designated, non-profit organ procurement organization and an American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) accredited tissue bank serving Colorado and most of Wyoming. As a recognized leader in facilitating the donation and recovery of transplantable organs and tissues, Donor Alliance's mission is to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To achieve this mission, Donor Alliance employs an effective family approach and recovery programs in more than 100 hospitals. Donor Alliance also inspires the public to register as organ and tissue donors through community partnerships, public outreach and education campaigns throughout its donation service area. For more information visit the Donor Alliance website, or the Donate Life Colorado or Donate Life Wyoming Facebook pages.

SOURCE Donor Alliance