AHN Pays Tribute to Nearly 100 Members of Organ Donor Families with Ceremonial Honor Walk

AHN Clinicians and Staff will Line AGH Hallways to Honor Family Members of Those Who Gave the Lifesaving Gift of Organ Donation; Expected to be one of the Largest Walks of its Kind as Nation Celebrates National Donate Life Month

Link to video of honor walk: https://app.frame.io/presentations/2fbb5f33-15b5-4172-a1bc-ae0db82bd3d8

PITTSBURGH – Clinicians and caregivers at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH), the flagship academic medical center of Allegheny Health Network (AHN), will welcome nearly 100 members of organ donor families on Friday, April 28 at 11 a.m. for a ceremonial honor walk paying tribute to those who gave the ultimate lifesaving gift of organ donation. It’s expected to be the largest walk of its kind that has been held in the Greater Pittsburgh area to date.

Dozens of AHN staff members will line AGH’s hallways allowing family members to walk past in remembrance of their loved ones. The honor walk will conclude in front of the hospital’s newly dedicated permanent donor recognition memorial located in the main lobby.

The event will kick off with brief remarks from network and hospital leadership followed by the heroic stories of organ transplant recipients who were given a second chance thanks to the selfless decision made by organ donors and their families.

HONOR WALKS:
Honor walks have risen in popularity across health systems nationwide within the last five years. They offer a powerful opportunity for hospital staff to honor the heroism of their patient and provide a chance for the donor’s family to recognize the legacy their loved one is leaving behind. Honor walks typically involve all available clinicians and caregivers lining the respective hospital’s hallways, all in reverence, as the organ donor is transported to the operating room for the recovery of gifts. 

WHO:

• Duke Rupert, Senior Vice President, Allegheny Health Network
• Dr. Allan Philp, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Allegheny General Hospital
• Christie Ryan, Director of Professional Services and Regulatory Affairs, CORE
• Manreet Kanwar, MD, AHN Cardiovascular Institute
• David Bates of South Park, Heart Transplant Recipient
• Victor Wilson of Brighton Heights, Heart Transplant Recipient
• Michael Eckman of Westmoreland, Pa., Heart Transplant Recipient

WHEN:
Friday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m.
 
WHERE:  
Allegheny General Hospital  
320 East North Avenue 
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

WHY:  
According to the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for a transplant to save their lives. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 7,000 people are on the waiting list. National Donate Life Month, celebrated every April, encourages more Americans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and recognizes those who have saved lives through donation. 

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