Maryland salutes organ, eye and tissue donors with Flags Across Maryland campaign

By: Lauren | The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland

Throughout the month of April, in celebration of National Donate Life Month, The Living Legacy Foundation and Donate Life Maryland will be flying flags with the Donate Life logo all over the state. The Flags Across Maryland campaign, in conjunction with the national campaign, Flags Across America, brings a greater awareness to the more than 110,000 people waiting nationally for a life-saving organ transplant.

The Living Legacy Foundation is encouraging it’s partner hospitals to raise or display the flag, which also includes the phrase “Honoring Organ, Eye and Tissue Donors” throughout the month to show support for this life-saving cause. In addition, LLF and Donate Life Maryland have partnered with the Maryland Motor Vehicles Administration to fly the Donate Life flag at each of the branch offices across the state.

Fly your own flag!

“Flying a Donate Life flag is not limited to hospitals and the MVA. We encourage you to fly your own flag at your house, place of worship, car or where ever you have a place to display one,” commented Jennifer Gelman, director, professional education for The Living Legacy Foundation. “Flags Across Maryland is a great celebration of life.”

Last year, Karen Rogers from Maryland shared how she had personalized a Donate Life house flag in memory of her son, Eric. Eric had made the generous decision to be an organ donor; and after he died in a motor vehicle accident in July 2008, his organs saved the lives of several other people.

Her family hangs the flag during April for Flags Across America and National Donate Life Month. The flag is also hung for the anniversary of his death and on his birthday. Karen stated, “I think it’s important for our neighbors to see it at certain times of the year to remind them of Eric’s gifts.”

How to get a flag

If you know of a business or organization interested in participating in Flags Across Maryland, please contact Jennifer Gelman at 443-833-1026, jgelman@thellf.org.

If you are interested in purchasing a Donate Life flag for your house, desk or car, visit http://store.donatelife.net to purchase flags and other Donate Life merchandise.

If you see a Donate Life flag flying, take a picture and send it to us – we’d love to see it! Pictures can be e-mailed to the e-mail address above, or can be posted directly to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DonateLifeMaryland). Let’s see how many pictures our community friends can gather.