On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis (AAMC) held a ceremony to unveil the newest addition to the hospital: a donor wall. The wall, entitled “Tree of Life,” honors those who gave the gift of life through donation – a powerful symbol and a way for them to live on in our hearts. It stands as a tribute to the goodness and generosity of the human spirit; to see the kindness that those who faced such loss bestowed onto others through donation. During the ceremony, seven of the hospital’s donor families from the past several years participated in the ceremony, honoring their l
oved ones by placing ‘blooms’ engraved with the donor’s name on the “Tree of Life.”
AAMC’s donor wall has been in development for several years and was made possible by generous gifts from many members of the hospital’s critical care unit staff. The Living Legacy Foundation (LLF) would like to thank the administration at AAMC for their support, along with Michelle Donovan, RN, and Amy Yu, MD, who were instrumental in the establishment of the donor wall.
As part of the ceremony, the following excerpt from The Talmud was read: “To save one human being is to save the entire world.” These words are so profound and powerful; these are words that can be used to describe the difference that an organ and tissue donor makes in the world. The gift of life not only benefits the recipients, but it also has a profound effect on the donor’s family and friends – bringing them comfort in their loss and providing something life affirming to hold on to during a time of such loss.
The Living Legacy Foundation continues to be humbled by the generosity of our donor families, and we are thankful to AAMC for creating this touching tribute to those who gave the gift of life to others.
