For Immediate Release: Oct. 4, 2010

Grady Awarded 2010 Organ Donation Medal of Honor

Contact: Denise Simpson
Phone: (404) 616-6855
E-mail: dsimpson@gmh.edu

Grady Health System will be awarded the 2010 Organ Donation Medal of Honor for its success in increasing the number of organs available for life-saving transplants. This is the fourth consecutive year Grady will be recognized with this honor. Issued by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the Medal of Honor recognizes hospitals that achieve at least a 75 percent organ donation rate from eligible donor families in a consecutive 12-month period.

Each day, about 77 people receive organ transplants. However, 18-20 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't take place because of the shortage of donated organs. There are currently more than 108,000 people waiting for an organ transplant in the United States.

In 2003, Grady partnered with Lifelink of Georgia and joined a national collaborative, launched by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as a nationwide effort to save thousands of lives each year. Together, Grady and Lifelink, an independent, non-profit organ and tissue recovery organization, work to increase awareness of the growing need for organ and tissue donation. To designate your decision to be an organ, tissue and eye donor sign-up on the state’s organ and tissue donor registry at www.donatelifegeorgia.org or call 1-866-57-SHARE (74273).

The 2010 Organ Donation Medals of Honor will be awarded at a ceremony held the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010. This ceremony will take place during the Organ Donation and Transplantation National Learning Congress which convenes in Grapevine, TX.

About Grady Health System
Grady Health System is one of the largest public health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, nine neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center - and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate.

With its nationally acclaimed Emergency Care Center and Burn Unit, Grady Health System has the only level I trauma center in the region and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. The state's only Poison Center is housed at Grady, as well.

The Diabetes Detection & Control Center, Georgia Cancer Center for Excellence, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Primary Stroke Center and Avon Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center are also notable components of the health system. Moreover, Grady's Infectious Disease Program was named one of the top three HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country.

Other exceptional medical services include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Primary Care Center, a dedicated 60 Plus service line for older adults, Teen Services, and the Rape Crisis Center.

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