Recently, Southcoast Health leaders, providers, nurses and staff gathered at St. Luke’s Hospital for the annual New England Donor Services flag-raising ceremony in honor of Donate Life Month.

In 2024, there were 46 tissue donors, 13 organ donors and 34 organ transplants made possible from donors across the Southcoast Health System. So far in 2025, there have been an additional 14 tissue donors, six organ donors and 18 organs transplanted, officials said.

“I want to express my gratitude to organ donors and their families for their generosity and courage in making the decision to donate – even in the midst of loss and grief. I’m proud to be part of such a giving and compassionate community that supports the importance of organ donation,” said Edward Liao, Vice President of Operations Ancillary Services at Southcoast Health.

All three Southcoast Health Hospitals, Charlton Memorial, St. Luke’s and Tobey, work in collaboration with New England Donor Services, the area’s local designated organ procurement organization, to provide lifesaving donations to individuals in need of an organ or tissue transplant.

Cheryl Andrade, a Southcoast Health patient and liver transplant recipient, also spoke with the group about her experience. What made the event even more special was that the event took place as she was celebrating the six-year anniversary of her transplant.

“After a visit to the Charlton Memorial Hospital emergency department in 2018, I learned that I would need a new liver to survive,” Cheryl said. “I was then connected with Dr. James Watson and his team who oversaw my care and treatment for eight months, keeping me as healthy as possible until I was able to receive a liver. I am so grateful to my donor and her family, and I want to thank my entire Southcoast Health care team who got me through that challenging time.”

Kerrie Casey, Manager of Donation Strategies at New England Donor Service (NEDS), emphasized the importance of the collaboration between Southcoast Heath and NEDS to help make organ donation possible in the South Coast region.

“I want to thank Southcoast Health for your continued support and partnership. We are grateful for your outstanding clinical teams who care for organ donors, their families, and recipients with the utmost respect and compassion during some of the most challenging moments in their lives,” she said.

This year, the St. Luke’s Hospital critical care team was also recognized with the Most Engaged Critical Care Team award. They were one of only two teams from nearly 200 hospitals in the New England Region to receive this acknowledgement from NEDS. This award highlights their leadership in establishing process improvement plans and their collaboration and high engagement with donation strategy implementations.

You can register to be an organ and tissue donor through the National Donate Life Registry or at the RMV when you renew your license.