An emotional flag-raising ceremony at Minden Medical Center Wednesday, April 10 at 11 am to honor organ donors and recipients during Donate Life Month for the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency. 

Minden Medical Center has invited a special guest to be there as the wife of a donor in 2023. April is Nation Donate Life Month.  We choose to this observation to highlight the importance of donation and encourage our community to register as organ, eye and tissue donors to save and enhance lives. 

As you look to the sky at night and see the billions of stars that make up the universe let the stars be a reminder of the even in the darkest night, there is light.  That is why we believe our donors are Superstars. 

In unity of the other across our great nation we will have prayer and a moment of silence as we remember our donors and their families.  

Donate Life Month is an opportunity for the media to saturate our community information on the critical need for organs and tissues for transplant.  In 2023 Minden Medical Center had one donor.  More than 100,000 Americans are awaiting a life-saving organ transplant with more than 2,000 residing in Louisiana. 

No matter your age, pre-existing health conditions, lifestyle, religion, etc you can register to save lives through organ and tissue donation. 

Approximately 17 people die every day while awaiting a lifesaving transplanted and a new is added to the UNOS waiting list every 9 minute. In 2023, more than 46,000 organ transplants were performed in the United States. This is an increase of more than 8.7% over 2022 and a new annual record. If you are not a registered donor, please consider registering today by visiting https://www.lopa.org.  

Living Donations

In 2023, 6,953 more lives were saved through the generosity of living donors. Types of living donation include directed donation, non-directed donation, kidney paired donation, and tissue donation (birth tissue).  Living donors do not have to be related to their recipients. And on average, 1 in 4 living donors are not biologically related to the recipient.